
Class_jr^Jj4- 



..Early ^History.. 




FAIR HAVEN, LYNDEN, EDEN LAKE 



AND 



PAYNBSYILLB 



BY 



E. H. ATWOOD, 

ST. CLOUD, MINN. 






1^ 



.fO'^Ol 




^1X 



ie 



.teJ 



p. 






o 

o 






C/2 


^ 


H3 


H- 


O 


tJ 


w 


3 


Kl 


CO 




01 


o 


o 


^ 


c+ 




IV 




M 
M 



History of Maine Fpairie 



By E. H. ATWOOD. 



FIRST DISCOVERY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 

While gather! ntr statistics and items of 
interest connected with the stormy times of 
the Sionx outbreak and massacre of the 
whites in the sntntner of 1862, it was sug- 
gested that a history of the first discovery 
and settlement of Maine Prairie would be 
of value, and the writer was nrged to un- 
dertake it, beginning with its first discov- 
ery hv the whites. We often find great dif- 
ferences in the details of scenes and events 
as related by different individuals, even 
when they viewed the same occurrences at 
the same time. The endeavor will be to 
arrive as nearly as possible at the true ac- 
count of such historical events as maybe 
deemed worthy of interest. 

In the early fifties, there were but few 
settlements north of St. Paul, and these, 
with the exception of St. Anthony, were 
quite small and chiefly confined to the riv- 
ers. St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids were the 
most northern settlements of any size on 
the Mississippi river. There were a few 
scattering settlers along the Sauk river; 
but there was a vast unexplored territory 
west of the Mississippi and south of the 
Sauk river, that had probably never bef n 
trodden by the foot of the white man. 
Here was a broad and undefined boundary 
line between the fierce and warlike tribes 
of the Sioux Indians on the west and their 
deadly and bitter foes, the savage tribes of 



the Chippewas, on the east. The feud be- 
tween these two tribes had been long, fierce 
and bloody, and the soil of this region had 
drank the blood of many of the braves of 
both Sioux and Chippewas. In this re- 
gion there was plenty of game. The wild 
deer roamed almost unmolested. The 
otter, mink, muskrat, and other fur bear- 
ing animals, were fwund in great numbers 
around the thousands of lakes. Wolves, 
wild cats, lynx and coyotes were found 
roaming unmolested, for the banter from 
either tribe well knew the perils that 
awaited him should he venture upon this 
disputed territory. Should any hunter 
not return from an expedition in this di- 
rection his tribe well knew that his scalp 
was dangling at the belt of some warrior 
of the hostile tribe. If this happened, 
fierce war was made to avenge the loss, 
and in the sanguinary conflict that follow- 
ed many brave warriors of both tribes lost 
their lives. These conflicts continued at 
intervals for some time after the territory 
was occupied by the white settlers, the last 
one in this section occuring in the spring 
of 1860, in the town of Maine Prairie. 

Such were the conditions of this territo- 
ry, when, in the year 1854, a number of 
families living in the state of Massachus- 
etts decided to emigrate in a body and 
form a settlement by themselves in some 
new western state. 






HlSTdRY OF MAINK FKAIKIE. 



These people were intelligent, and lib- 
eral in their views, and wisiied to form a 
Bettlenient with ])eople of broad an<l pro- 
gressive luinds, so that their churciies and 
schools might be conducted in accordance 
with their advanced standard of truth and 
progress. The agents whom they sent out 
to find a suitable location for their settle- 
ment came up the Mississippi to Clearwa- 
ter, in the fall of 1854, and star'ed westward 
into this unknown region. James Camp- 
bell, brother of the late Mrs. J. E. West, 
accom pained these agents from Clenrwater. 

VIEWING THE PKOMISKD LAND. 

A slight snow storm somewhat bewild- 
ered them, but they soon came upon what 
is now known as Maine Prairie. As they 
stood upon a commanding hill and gazed 
upon the beautiful plain spread ()Ut before 
them, dotted with many beautiful groves, 
with innumerable lakes flashing in the 
bright sunlight, surrounded on all sides 
with a dense growth of timber, they were 
enraptured with the glorious scene. Com- 
ing as they had from the rugged and 
mountainous regions of Massachu8etls,they 
were unused to such a -landscape. They 
stood entranced with the grand and beauti- 
ful picture of green plains, beautiful groves 
and glistening lakes. With hushed and 
baited breath, thej' drank in the glori(>us 
panorama, and enthusiastically exclaim- 
ed: "Here is what we have been looking 
for! Here is where we will found our grand 
colony! The inspiration of such a glor- 
ious country cannot fail to inspire the 
hearts of our children with a higher and 
nobler idea of life. Here we can surround 
them with all that will make them better 
men and women!" They christened the 
place "Paradise." After some inrther ex- 
plorations, they undertook to again find 
their "Paradise," but after repeated ef- 
forts, they were unable to do so, and those 
that were to form the colony, thus became 
somewhat scattered, and settled in differ- 
ent parts of the state. The golden dreams 
that they bad cherished of a colony of in- 
telligent, progressive and advanced think- 
ers, where they could rear their children 



in the atmosphere of the highest ideal at- 
tainment of human life, were unrealiz-d. 
When the agents could not find their 
"ParaJise," they then called it "Paradise 
Lost" 

Whether the world has lost or gained 
by their failure to establish a colony or 
not, is hard to tell. It may be that tiie 
good influence which each member of this 
community exerted in different localities 
has proved a stronger force for good than 
they could have exerted if they had unit- 
ed in onp isolated colony. 

SliCONl) DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT IN 1S5G. 

From the fall of 1854 until the spring 
of 1856, nothing definite had been learned 
of Maine Prairie. In February of that 
year A B. and A. S. Greely and A. Mes- 
ser, who had come out from Maine the fall 
before, and had remained at St. Anthony 
during the winter, heard of Maine Prairie 
from Air. Henry Johnson, who kept a ho- 
tel at N'.'enah, six miles south of St. 
Cloud. They came up on foot, but did not 
quite r.^ach the Prairie, and returned to 
St. Anthony. On the lOlh of March A. B, 
Greely and wife, A. S. Greely, A. Messer 
and Ansel Crommuett left St. Anthony for 
Maine Prairie. In due time they reached 
Little Prairie, three miles west of Neenah 
and five miles from Maine Prairie. Here 
they built a built a log house and began 
house keeping. Mrs. A. B. Greely was 
the first white woman that had phUetr.Ued 
thus far. Mr. H. Dam and a few others 
joined them here. After their house was 
built, »he men began to search for the 
"lost Paradize." It is claimed that Mr. 
Messer was the first to discover the Prai- 
rie, and staked out the first claim for him- 
self, and one for Albert Staples, in the 
northeast corner of the Prairie, H. Dun 
taking an adjoining claim. April lOlh, 
A. B. and Horace Greely staked out 
claims for themselves near Carnelian 
Lake, and commenced a claim shanty. 

A few days later, A. S. Greely and 
Aansel Crommett, in looking over the 
Prairie for a good location, ascended a 
high lilull'south of the Prairie. The view 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



from this place wao grand, and filled the 
heart of the proppectors with delight. 
They counted thirteen lakc-s that lay be- 
neath them, sparkling in the morning 
sun. One lake in particular attracted 
their attention. It whs a beautiful sheet 
of water and lay like a pearl set in emer- 
ald, ft was afterwards named Pearl Lake. 
Adjoining it, they saw what they had been 
looking for: Wood, and water and prai- 
rie. They started for tlie lake in haste, 
fearing others in'ght appropriate their 
j)rize, paced off, staked and marked their 
claims, but in their excitement their 
strides were too long, and their claims 
contained enough for four settlers. This 
land they held and shared with their 
brothers, N T. Greely and J. 0. Crom- 
mett, when they arrived the next fall. 

About the 1st of May, A. B. and A. S. 
Greely, H. Dam, Dudley French, A. 
Messer and J. H French cut out a road 
ttiri'ugh the timber from their home on 
Little Prairie to .VTaine Prairie. A. S. 
Greely's ox team accompained them, be- 
ing the first team through. Mrs H Dtm 
soon came through with her husband, be- 
ing the first white women to arrive on 
Maine Prairie. Soon after the road was 
cut through, many other settlors from the 
east be^an to arrive. 

MANY SETTLERS ARRIVE. 

The fame of the br-autiful Prairie, with 
its sparkling lakes, its rich soil, and 
beautiful groves, had reached back to 
Maine, and other Eastern States, and dur- 
ing the spring and summer of 1856 the 
following ueople arrived and to<-»k up 
claims: D. W. Fowler, F. H. D.m, 
Joseph Dam, Joseph and Samuel 
Young, Wm. Heywood, J. H. French, 
Albert Staples, Wm. Milligan, Horace 
Greely, M. Greely, Hiram Millett, Mo^es 
Ireland, John Farwell, Farwell, F. 
M. Kimball, R. F. Adley, James Taylor, 
Geo. Clark, Daniel Spaulding, Rnel Fur- 
long, Misf Marilla and Altr)ira French, 
John Guf)lil, James Simmons, D. Suther- 
lan<l, 1). A. Hoyt, S. Leavelt, Aaron Scrib- 
ner, Andrew F. and Daniel Perkins, Wm. 



Stewart, Henry Hutchinson and Doc. 
Mayo. AH of these took claims during 
the spring and summer of 1856. Most of 
these earlv settlers were frou the slate of 
Maine, which will probably explain, why 
they named their town Maine Prairie. 

Moses Ireland laid out and plated the 
town-site on the west shore of Carnelian 
Lake, September 7th, 1856, and called it 
Marysville. The location was beautiful, 
and undoubtedly the proprietor expected 
to soon see a thriving and prosperous city 
flourishing upon his town-site. But, like 
many others in the new state, it never rose 
above a paper town-site. 

GRASSHOPPER VISITATION OF 1856. 

In the fall ol 1856 swarms of grasshop- 
pers, or locuwfp, alighted on some of the 
farms, and deposited their eggs. The next 
spring the roung ones damaged M. Gree- 
ly's crops, and about the middle of July 
an immense swarm alighted on his farm, 
covering the ground and eating up all 
that the others had left. Tfiev all left the 
same day, leaving the few fields, denuded 
of all crops. 

MINISTERS AND CHURCHES 

Alvin Messer, a Baptist Minister, 
preached in the town in 1856, the services 
being held in private residences, he soon 
left, and Rev. Inman, a Close Communion 
Baptist took bis place. In the early six- 
ties, the frame of a Baptist church build- 
ing was erected, but on account of the war, 
never was finished. In 1879 the present 
church was built and dedicated. 

In 1857, Rev. Levi Gleason was sent by 
the Methodists to Maine Prairie, and held 
occasional services in private residences 
and school houses. In 1873, the present 
church was built, being the first church 
building in the town. The Methodist was 
the strongest church for many years. 

GROWTH OF THE COLONY. 

The winter of 1856-57 passed quietly. 
The pioneers worked hard making their 
houses and stables comfortable. The next 
summer a few more home-seekers arrived 
at d took land In June, T. B. Stanley 
came from Trumball County, Ohio, and 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIKIE. 



took up a claim in section 2, and in 1858 
erected a house and barn. In 1859, be 
brought out his wife and four sons, D. B., 
Joseph, Plum and Roger. In 1857, among 
others who arrived were A. Maservey and 
family, Thomas Cadwell and wife, Geo. 
W. Cutter and family, D. A. Roberts and 
wife, Alex. Spaulding and wife, Thomas 
Steen and wife. Elder T. E. Inman and 
wife, "Willard Spaulding, S. F. Brown, 
wife and son, S. F., 0. S. Senter, John 
Guptil's wife and family, and John White. 

INDIANS. 

During the winter, numerous bands of 
of Indians camped in the neighborhood 
for short periods, for the purpose of hunt- 
ing. They were generally peaceably in- 
clined, and frequently visited the settlers' 
houses. They often visited the house of 
M. Greely. Mr. Greely worked in the 
woods that winter, leaving home in the 
morning and returning at night. But 
Mr«. Greely was not afraid of the Indians, 
and often gave them food, or let them 
warm themselves by the fire. One day, 
an Indian came in who had often been 
there before. He made a great many de- 
mands until Mrs. Greely becoming tired, 
told him to "Go!" when he made an in- 
sulting remark. Seizing a pitchfork and 
pointing it at his eyes, she again said go! 
He looked at her a moment and departed. 
In a few days, he came again. Mrs. Gree- 
ly did not wait for him to say anything 
but reaching up to the beams overhead 
took down Mr. Greely's sword and again 
said to Mr. Chippewa, "Git!" He went 
out very sullenly, and seeing a fine large 
steer standing near, drove him into the 
deep snow so that only his head was vis- 
ible. He remained in that predicament 
until the next day, when Mr. G. found 
him. After this, Mrs. Greelv could al- 
ways tell the near presence of Indians by 
the intense fright of that steer. 

FIRST FOURTH OF JULY CELEHRATION. 

On July 4, 1857, the pioneers celebrated 
the nation's natal day by a public 
picnic in the 0. Farwell grove, on the 
shore of Carnelian Lake. Elder T. E. 



Inman delivered the oration. This was 
the first time that the glorious Fourth of 
July had been celebrated in this vast re- 
gion. 

AS FIRST ORGANIZED. 

The town of Maine Prairie, as first or- 
ganized, consisted of what is now the towns 
of Rockville, Fair Haven and Maine Prai- 
rie, and was organized in accordance with 
and pursuant to an order of the Board of 
County Commissioners of the county of 
Stearns, issued on the 20th day of May, 
1858. The following is the— 
notice! 

Notice is hereby given, that on th^ 27th 
day of May, A. I). 1858, an election will 
be held at the house of John Harwell, in 
and for the town of Marysvilie, Stearns 
Co inly, Minnesota, for the f)urpose of 
electing the following town officers, to- 
wit : 3 Supervisor^, one of whom shall be 
designated as Chairman; 1 Town Clerk, 1 
Assessor, 1 (Collector, 1 Overseer of the 
Poor, 2 Constables, 2 Juntices of the Pence, 
and as many overseers of road» as Road 
Districts. 

Per order of the Board of County Ctm- 
missioners. 

"^ated. Saint Cloud, May 20, 1858. 

JosEi'ii Edelbrock. 
"A truo copy, attest: 

"M. Greki.y, Town Clerk." 

MINUTES OF MEETING. 

"According to the foregoing notice, the 
voters of the town mentioned met at the 
place do-^ignated, occupied John Farwell's 
log trranery, and proceeded as follows: 

"The meeting was called to order by 
John Farwell, and on motion Orlen Far- 
well was chosen moderator, and M. Gree- 
ly clerk. 

"On motion of M. Greely, it was voted 
I hat the name of the town be Maine 
Prairie. 

"Then proceeded fo ballot for town offi- 
cers, with the following result: For super- 
visors, G. VV^. Cutter, chairman; Daniel 
Spauldinir, Thos. Partridjfe; town clerk, 
M. Greelv; assessor, A. H. Staples, J K. 
Noyes and I. N. Berlin apsi'-tant assessors; 
constables, A. B. Greely and VV H. Day; 
Justicef< of the peace, 0. Farwell and A. 
B. Gaylord; collector, H. P. Bennett; 
overseer of the poor, O. S. Senter. 

"Voted that the next meeting be held at 
D. Spaulding's." 

"Attest: O. Farwell, Moderator. 
M. Greely, Clerk. 

"A true copy: Attest, M. Greely." 



HISTORY OF MAINE PKAIKIK 



5 



FURTHER ORGAVIZATION. 

As many of the officers of the new town 
electeH at the town naeeting neglected to 
qualify, the following petition was pre- 
eented to M. Greely, town clerk: 

"To Martin Greely, Esq., clerk of the 
town of Maine Prairie: The undersigned 
would respectfully petition that a meeting 
of the legal voters of said town he called 
as sonn as may be, at the most central 
point, for the purpose of setting off road 
districts, choosing and qualifying town 
ofBcers; and as in duty bound will ever 
pray." 

"Maine Prairie, July 29, 1859, A. 
H. Staples, O. S. True, J. H. French, H. 
P. Bennett, John P. Guptill, Sumner 
Leavett, H. Dam, D. S. French, A. 
S. Greely, D. Spaulding, A. Spauld- 
ing, Geo. W. Cutter, Jesse Lee Smith." 

A town meeting was held in compliance 
with the petition and the vacant oHices 
filled. The town was divided into six road 
districts. 

THE USUAL TOWN HALL. 

On the 23rd of October, 1858, a meeting 
of the legal voters was called and it was 
voted to erect a town hou^e and to raise 
the sum of $500 to build it. 

Daniel Spaulding, R. F. Adiey and 
John Farwell were chosen a committee to 
build it. "H. Dam, M. Greely and John 
Farwell were chosen a committee to locate 
the house, their decision to be final. The 
town house seems to have "died abornin," 
as no further mention is made of it. 

A PIONEER PIC-NIC- 

S. F. Brown and wife and Martin Gree- 
ly and wife, celebrated the 4th of July, 
1858, in truly pioneer if not patriotic 
style. As provisions were scarce, it taxed 
the ingenuity of the women to find dainties 
enough for the pic-nic dinner. Tne com- 
mon bill of fare for every day consisted of 
pork, bread and mola8«es, l)ut that was 
not sufficenlly elaborate for this occasion. 
Mrs. Greely went into the fields and 
I)icked *^nough of wild oxalis (or sorrei) 
to make a pie. This sorrel somewhat re- 
EtmbleB rhubarb in taste. Mrs. Brown 



contributed a fruit cake, which she had 
brought from her old home in Massachu- 
setts the fall before. They remember this 
dinner with a great deal of pleasure. 
DOINGS IN 1858. 

Among the arrivals this year (1858) 
were Joseph Eaton, wife and children, 
and Mr. Scheelar. 

In February, 1858, as related by James 
Kimball, as a party of ten or twelve 
Chiopewas were passing Mr. Thos. Straw's 
place, they broke into his shanty and stole 
all the flour he had. Mr. Straw arrived 
home with his ox team shortly after they 
had left. The loss of his provision filled 
him with anger, and leaving his team, he 
bravely started with his goad stick on the 
trail of the robbers. He soon caught up 
with them and began belaboring the near- 
est Indian with his gad, the others looking 
on and laughing at their unfortunate 
brother, but soon they all pulled the ram- 
rods from their guns and began to retaliate, 
causing Straw to beat a hasty retreat, 
somewhat the worse for the conflict 

In the fall of 1858, a band of Sioux were 
camped near Willow Creek, on the prairie, 
on a hunting expeditioii. While thus oc- 
cupied one of their tribe was accidently 
shot and killed. As he was being brought 
to camp by his comrades the mourners 
met them wailing their mournful death 
dirge and wringing their hands and filling 
the air with their wild death songs. The 
next morning their camp was found de- 
serted, whether through superstitious 
fears or from some other cause, is not 
known. 

INCIDENTS. 

From 1858 to 1862 wheat was worth 
about 35 cents per bushel, in store pay. 
Once in a while Proctor & Clark could be 
induced to pay a little money. The pre- 
vailing costum for the men during this 
time was nude from grain sacks. A. S. 
Greely had marked a lot of new sacks by 
precsing them against the greasy cogs of 
the bull wheel of his horse power, which 
left an imprint very unique and not easily 
counterfeited. It consisted of three black 



IIISTOKV OF iMAlNK I'KAlKll-. 



marks two inches long. The story goes 
that this peculiar mark was found upon 
the newly made pants of people who had 
harrowed sacks of Greely, unbeknown to 
that gentleman. A. S. Greely ran ihe 
first reaper, and in connection with A. B. 
Greely, operated the first threshing 
machine and took their pay in grain, tak- 
ing every ninth bushel. 

The following appeared in the St. Cloud 
Democrat of Aug. 12, 1858: 

"A Maine Prairieitc says: 'We have 
crops enough on Maine Prairie to supply 
all northern Minnesota,' and a Rockville- 
ite says: 'You ought to see the crops up 
the Sauk towards Rockville, I don't know 
what they are going to do with them." 

From the St. Cloud Democrat, May 20, 
1858: "The country around St. Cloud, 
west of the Mississippi was purchased of 
the Indians in a treaty made with them 
by Hon, Alexander Ramsey and Luke 
Lee, in 1852, and ratified by the senate the 
same year. The Sioux had owned this 
land from 1827 but had not occupied it, 
and it was used as a hunting ground by 
Winnebagoes, whose land reached within 
four miles north of St. Cloud." 

The following extract is taken from the 
St. Cloud Democrat, Dec. 9th, 1858: "Rev. 
T. E. Tnmai, of the Baptist church, has 
killed eight deer this season. Mr. Inman 
is a regular pioneer preacher of the John 
the Baptist class, who eat locust and wild 
honey, and are clothed in camel's hair, 
and have leather girdles about their loins. 
He 8]»ends his Sabbaths and part cf other 
days preacliing the Gospel in destitute 
places, and in a great measure supports 
his family by his rifle." 

rOST OFFICK AND MAILS. 

A Post Office was established in the Far- 
well grove and called after the town-site 
Marysville. Orlan Farwell was appointed 
the first Post Master. Tbe mail was re- 
ceived once a week. After a number of 
years a tri-weekly mail was obtained and 
in 1861 Alex. Spaulding was appointed 
Post Master, The office was established 
at the "Corners," and the name changed 



to Maine Prairie. In a few years a daily 
mail arrived, and in 1867 the present Post 
Master, D. B. Stanley, was appointed, and 
has held the office ever since, except two 
years. 

Hattie, daughter of Dudley French was 
the first child born in the to-vn. Joseph 
Mitchell and Sarah Greely were the first 
to marry in the town, in 1858. 

SECOND TOWN MEliTING, 1859. 

The second annual town meeting was 
held April 5th, 1859, at the store houso of 
G. W. Cutter, on the west side of Pearl 
lake. This was a meeting long to be re- 
membered. The old settlers refer to it 
with the remark that "they had a high 
old time," and the animosities engendered 
at that meeting, althou?h dormant, could 
easily be aroused 35 years afterwards by 
making inquiries about the meeting, when 
there were those present who had been 
opponents in the conflict. The victorious 
party elected M Hanson, Chairman, and 
P. Mouse and Wm. Shaffer supervisors; 
and M. Greely, Clerk. Many roads were 
laid out this year. 

April 5th, of this year the townshiji of 
Fair Haven was detached and organized 
into a separate town. 

"the school ma'am's road." 

In the summer of 1859, Miss Anna 
Maria Boobar, of Fair Haven, taught a 
school in Horace Greely's house. She 
boarded at Mr. Leavitt's and had to walk 
to and from her school through the tall 
wet grass. Soon some of the gallantyoung 
men took a breaking plow and made a 
good read, by plowing the grass under. 
This ridge ran diagonally across the 
prairie, and remained for many years, 
occasioning a great deal of curiosity and 
many imjuiries on the part of new comers 
and strangers, for the Horace Greely 
house was soon moved away and the 
"School Ma'am's road," as it was called, 
seemed to start at no particular point and 
bo end in the same manner. 

about early schools. 

Among the new settlers who arrived in 
1859 were B. H. Winslow and family, 



HISTORY OF MAINE TKAIKIE. 



Charles Ntal and Isaac Benlly, with his 
mother and sister Julia. 

A school house was built near where the 
Baptist church now stands, and during 
that winter lofifs were hauled for the school 
house in district No. 28. The house was 
erected the next spring, on the west shore 
of Pearl lake, M. Greely was elected di- 
rector, S. F. Brown, clerk, and A. Mas- 
ervey, treasurer. The first school in this 
district was taught in the summer of I860, 
by Miss Carrie Hicks, (now Mrs. Wm. L 
Heywood.) Miss Lizzie Rice, of Fair 
Haven, taught this school in 1861, and 
Miss Philena Fields taui^ht it in 1862. 

The Stanley school house in district No. 
29, called the "Red School House," was 
built in 1860. T. B. Stanley and Dudley 
French were the first officers. The first 
school in this district whs taught by Miss 
Dean, of Fair Haven, and Miss Julia 
Hicks taught the next school in the sum- 
mer of 1861. In district No. 30 Mrs. Alonzo 
Spaulding taught the spring term in Dan- 
iel Spaulding's log house, and Miss Carrie 
Hicks taught the fall term in the same 
house in 1860. The school house in this 
district was built in 1861. The first offi- 
cers were John Farwell, R. F. Adley and 
F. M. Kimball. It is generally known as 
the Farwell school house. 

INDIANS CAUSE UNEASINESS. 
While the settlers were busy with their 
labors in the fall of 1859, thery was much 
uneasines:^ among them on account of the 
encampment, in the sonthern part of the 
town, of bands of Sioux Indians. The 
citizens of Cold Spring had also become 
.'.larmed on account of ihe numerous bands 
of Sioux hunters roaming through the 
country, and had sent to St. Cloud for a 
company of men to go to Cold Springs and 
assist the citizens in driving away a band 
that had become very troublesome. Al- 
though the(-e indians were at peace with 
the whites, still there existed a feeling 
among them that the land was iheirs, and 
th it they had been defrauded of their just 
rights. 



AN INDIAN FIGHT. 

There were rumors that there had been 
several encounters between marauding 
bands of Sioux and Chippewas in the 
towns of Maine Prairie and Fair Haven, 
and in the timber to the south, with more 
or less fatal results. The feeling of fear 
and distrust among the white settlers was 
greatly intensified by a tragic event that 
occurred soon after. At the time the Sioux 
were encamped upon the prairie, two 
young and brave Chippewas were trap- 
ping upon the waters to the south of the 
Pra'rie. The Sioux were not long in dis- 
covering the signs of their deadly foes, 
but were unable to capture them. Later 
they succeeded in discovering and plun- 
dering the camp of the Chippewas, and 
destroying their entire outfit. This so en- 
raged the young braves that they decided 
that nothing but the scalp of a Sioux brave 
would average their loss and retrieve their 
wounded honor. With a desire for re- 

venge burning to their hearts, they boldly 
sought a spot near the hostile caaap. Se- 
creeting themselves, they awaited the re- 
turn of the Sioux hunters to their camp 
after a day's chase. The boldness of this 
move on the part of the Chippewas was 
unparalleled in the annals of Indian war- 
fare. Here were two Indians within half 
a mile of fifty or a hundred fierce Sioux 
warriors, and knowing that at the sound 
of the first gun they would bring the whole 
encampment after them. Still their fierce 
desire for revenge caused take them to the 
terrible risk. They had not long to wait, a 
party of Sioux hunters passed near them. 
The battle which followed was quick, 
fierce and bloody, one Sioux was killed 
and others wounded. They returned the 
fire killing one Chippewa and severely 
wounded the other, but, though badly 
wounded, the surviving Chippewa sprang 
upon his deadly foe, tore the bloody scalp 
from his head while he was still struggling 
in the last throes of death, then with a 
wild exultant war whoop, which was 
heard throughout the hostile camp he 
dashed through the bush and timber and 



HISTORY OF MAINE I'KAIRIK. 



plunged into a lake. In an incredible 
ebort time tbe shore was lined with Sioux 
warriors wbo tried to gain the opposite 
shore in time to intercept him as he 
emerged from the water, but he succeeded 
in gaining a safe hiding place upon the 
opposite shore, where he lay concealed for 
several days. He then made his way to 
the house of James Simmons, 
with whom he was acquainted, 
who secreted him in bis cellar, and, al- 
though the Sioux were searching for bim, 
and came to the house several times, 
failed in their search. Simmons succeed- 
ed, after several days, in covering him up 
in a wagon and taking bim off in safety, 
with the Sioux scalp dangling at his belt. 
The body of the dead Chippewa was 
placed upon a pile of dry brush and sur- 
rounded by a circle of Sioux, who emptied 
their guns into it. Tbe pile was then set 
on fire while the Sioux leaped and shouted 
around the burning mass antil all was 
consumed. This scene was witnessed by 
D. A. Roberts, and never, as long as life 
lasts, will the impression of this wild 
scene be effaced from his memory. 

PRESENT TOWN ORGANIZED, 1860. 

The third annual town meeting was held 
at the h )use of G. Bauer, April 3.1, 1860. 
The Rockville people captured about all 
the town ofBces. 

The citizens of Maine Prairie organized 
the present town, pursuant to the following 
"notice:" 

"St. Cloud, June 5, 1860. 
"Daniel Spaulding and others greeting: 

Your township, and the fraction of (21) 
(I think) was this day set ofl'by the coun- 
ty board into a separate town, to be called 
Maine Prairie, and your town meeting is 
to be held at the house of Daniel Spauld- 
ing, on Monday, the 25th instant. 

"Stephen Miller." 

"A true copy. Attest: S. F. Brown, 
Town Clerk." 

The following officers were chosen at this 
first town meetingof Maine Prairie proper: 
Supervisors, T. B. Stanley, chairman, J 
Eaton, D. Spaulding; town clerk, S. F. 



Brown; treasurer, R. F. Adley; justice of 
the peace, Orlen Farwell; superintendent 
of schooln, S. F. Brown; constables, Wm. 
Milligan and F. M. Kimball; overseer of 
the poor, A. B. Greely. 

Rockville was organized into a separate 
town, June 25th, 1860, and Maine Prairie 
was left with one and one-half townships. 

THE POUNDER OF YARMOUTH. 

Geo. W. Cutter was quite a prominent 
figure in the affairs of town and county. 
In 1858, he had surveyed an<l platted the 
town of "Yarmouth," on the west side of 
Pearl Lake, built a house and large b-^rn 
and store. He placed the lots in the town 
of Yarmouth on the market, and regretted 
his inability to go East and sell them at 
fabulous prices. He was county commis- 
sioner. 

In May, of 1860, he left with his family 
for the east, and the bright anticipations 
of seeing the town of Yarmouth df-velop 
into a mighty city vanished with him. 
His old haunts saw him no more. 

THE USUAL "INDIAN SCARE." 

On the 8th of July, 1860, a wild rumor 
came to the Prairie that a vast horde of 
savage Sioux Indians were on the warpath 
and were sweeping down from the west, 
murdering and torturing the inhabitants 
and burning their buildings, leaving a 
blackened trail of death and desol.tion in 
their wake. A panic seized the citizens. 
All the women and children were hastily 
started for St. Cloud, accompanied by some 
of the older men. In their fright they 
took only those things that were handiest 
and would be most needed, and poured in- 
to St. Cloud. Some traveled with horse 
teams, some with oxen, and some on foot. 
The citizens of St. Cloud opened wide their 
doors, and took the panic-stricken refugees 
in, and kindly cared for them. It was 
rumored that the last ones that left the 
Prairie could see the flames of the burning 
buildings, and hear the shrieks of the vic- 
tims as they were being tortured by the 
savages. A large number of the men re- 
mained on the Prairie, and met at the 
bouse of Daniel Spaulding, where they 



HISTORY OF MAINli I'RAIRIE. 



were drilled by Capt. Inman, and all 
possible preparation made to resist the 
Indians. 

They bravely determined to stay and 
fight for their homes and not leave unlets 
overpowered by superior numbers. There 
was an independent company of militia at 
Hi. Cloud, with Mr. C. Lueg as captain. 
When the rumor of the advance of the 
savages (estimated at twenty thousanH) 
reached St. Cloud, the members of this 
company were hastily assembled, with 
what arms and ammunition they could 
collect, and bravely rode out to meet the 
advancing hosts. The remaining citizens 
cleaned up their old guns, collected am- 
munition and made preparations to give 
the savages a warm reception should they 
reach the town. In St. Cloud, a large 
number of the men remained up all that 
night to wa'ch. All were anxious to learn 
the fate of the men who had gone forward 
to meet the Indi ms About three o'clock 
the next morning a half-breed on the east 
side, wishing to come across the river, gave 
a prolonsred whoop to awaken the ferry 
man. As the blood curdling sound rang 
out on the still night air and reached the 
ears of anxious watchers, it was thought 
by some ol them that it was a veritable war 
whoop, and that the Indians were about to 
attack the place. 

The little band of pioneers of Maine 
Prairie were greatly relieved when they 
saw the company of soldiers from Saint 
Cloud coming to assist them. They could 
get no reliable information as to'the move- 
ments of the Indians. Thomas Straw 
volunteered to go forward and reconnoiter 
and obtain information regarding the lo- 
cality and numbers of the invading horde. 
He boldly started that night and reached 
Forest City, without discovering any 
Indians. He there ascertained that the 
whole thing was a false alarm, and that 
there were no Indians within a long dis- 
tance. Early the next morning the sol- 
diers returned to St. Cloud, and the people 
returned to their homes. 



OTHER ARRIVALS— DONATION — WEDDING. 

During the summer of this year, 1860, 
E. H. Atwood purchased the farm of An- 
sel Crommet, situated on the south shore 
of Pearl Lake, built a house and moved 
into it in the fall. He came from Illinois, 
accompanied by his wife and son, Clarence 
L. 

Wm. ri. Day settled in the town this 
year. 

The St. Cloud Democrat of Feb. 10, 1860, 
has the following: "A donation party 
was given at the house of Deacon Dam, to 
Elder Inman. A very delightful afiair. 
Parties from St. Cloud and Fair Haven 
assisted in the success of the affair." 

A. S. Greely and Miss Eliza Clark were 
married Friday, June 15th, 1860, 

CHIPPEWA-SIOUX BATTLE OF 1860. 

The different accounts given the writer 
of the battle between the Sioux and Chip- 
pewas on Maine Prairie, on Saturday, 
May 12, 1860, by different citizens who 
lived on the Prairie atthat time, are some- 
what conflicting. There was a wide dif- 
ference between the numbers said to be en- 
gaged, and the number killed and wound- 
ed. But it is believed that the account 
giyen below is substantially correct. 

A party of ten young Sioux warriors 
and one Winnebago started out from their 
reservation on the warpath for Chippewa 
scalps. On their way up to Crow Wing, 
where they expected to surprise and cap- 
ture Chippewas, they crossed Maine 
Prairie, and stopped at Orlan 

Farwell's to obtain something to eat. 
They informed him that they were going 
after Chippewa scalps. As some of their 
guns were out of order, they got H. P. 
Bennett to repair them. They went up 
and scouted around the Chippewa settle- 
ment, near Crow Wing. They surprised 
and came near capturing a young squaw, 
but she escaped by diving into the Mis- 
sissippi river, and swimming to the op- 
posite shore. After this they found the 
grave of the father of Hole-iu-the-day and 
dug up and burned the bones. Hole-in- 
the-day was a celebrated Chippewa chief, 



HISTORY OF MAINIi rRAIKli:. 



living at Crow Wing. He haJ a number 
of wives, one being a white woman. On 
one of his visits to Washington he had 
been presented with a fine Coil's revolving 
rille. The Sioux finding that they could 
get no scalps started back, reaching 
St. Cloud the next morning, on the East 
side of the river. Philip Beaupre was 
running the ferr/ and the Sioux tried to 
get him to ferry them over, but, knowing 
that they had been after scalps, he refus- 
ed to do so. He also soon discovered that 
Hole-in-the-day with a band of braves, 
was secreeted on the west side of the river 
watching every movement of their foes. 
The Chippewa chief had learned of the 
desecration of his father's grave, and 
hastily gathering a few warriors he swiftly 
descended on the west side of the river, 
hoping to ambush the Sioux as they cross- 
ed the river, failing in this they watched 
them all day, 

Hole-in-the-day, with whom Mr. Beau- 
pre was acquainted, urged him to ferry 
the Sioux over, so they could have a good 
chance to ambush them, as they landed, 
but Mr. Beaupre very wisely declined to 
assist either party. That night the Sioux 
succeeded in crossing the river, and start- 
ed for their reservation. They had no 
idea that they were being pursued and 
when they arrived at Maine Prairie, they 
felt quit safe and went to diflierent houses 
to get something to eat. They stole a lot 
of eggs and a pair of shoes from 0. Far- 
well. While thus engaged Hole-in-the- 
day and his band, who had taken their 
trail early in the morning, had passed 
around the prairie and secreted themselves 
in a patch of hazel brush to the south of 
where the present Farwell school house 
stands, and near the trail by which the 
Sioux would pass when they started to re- 
turn. It was not long before they saw 
their enemies advancing along the trail 
single file all unconsious of the fate await- 
ing them. 

Each Chippewa selected his victim and 
all fired simultaneously. With a fearful 
yell five of their number leaped high in 



the air and fell mortally wounded. Some 
of them seeing no escape, cut their own 
throats rather than sufler torture at the 
hands of their merciless enemies. Hole- 
in-the-Day now handled his Colt's revolv- 
ing rifle with fearful effect. Five were 
killed and left on the field, two were very 
badly wounded but they succeeded in get- 
ting into the brush and escaped capture. 
Four got away, but three of them were 
wounded and only one escaped unhurt. 
Hole-in the-Day was the only Chippewa 
wounded, and he only slightly. The dead 
Sioux were scalped and the Winnebago's 
head was cut off. The bodies of the slain 
were greatly disfigured. The head and 
the scalps were exhibited with boister- 
ous demonstrations of joy to a number of 
the white settlers. Hole-in-the-Day had 
eight warrior.^! with him in the fight. Af- 
ter several days, the whites buried the 
dead Indians. Seven days later, seventy- 
five Sioux warriors and several squaws 
came and dug up the dead, washed them 
and wrapped them in new blankets and 
reburied them. One of those that had 
crawled into the brush was found dead. 
The other was still alive, having lain 
seven days without attendance or anything 
to eat or drink. The dead one and the 
wounded one were taken back by the 
Sioux. It is said that the scalped ones 
are always buried where they fall, and 
never taken back to their home. A scalped 
Indian seems to be ^n disgrace. 

The stolen shoes were found on a dead 
Indian with a ballet hole through one of 
them. Tlie head of the Winnebago was 
presented to a St. Cloud physician by 
Hole-in-the-Day. 

After the fight the Chippewaa came to 
the house of Daniel Spaulding, and feel- 
ing greatly elated over their victory they 
emptied the head and scalps out on the 
floor at the same time yelling and boast- 
ing that they were "Big Indians." Mrs. 
Spulding was alone, and was badly fright- 
ened at sight of the bloody trophies, and 
the wild whoops of the savagea. 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES 

During the summer of 1861, there was 
much excitement occasioned by the south- 
ern rebellion. A volunteer company was 
organized and frequently drilled. Meet- 
ings were held and patriotic speeches were 
made. On the 4th of July the company was 
drilled. They made a fiplendi<l appearanc( , 
and many ofT.-red to enlift for the war. 
Captain T. E. Inman made a thrilling 
speech, which aroused the patriotism of 
the people to the highest pitch. The 
crops were gathered in and preparations 
were made by many to enlist, should the 
war continue. It was the hope of all that 
the war would soon end, and their services 
would not b • needed. 

President Lincoln's call for more troops 
banished all hopes of a speedy termination 
of the conflict. The Minnesota 4th Regi- 
ment was being formed, and Captain In- 
man oflered his services and was enrolled 
Oct. lOlh, 1861, and mustered in as Cap- 
tain of Company D The following are the 
names of Maine Prairieiies that were en- 
rolled in I is company: I. N. Bently, Geo. 
A. Clark, Thomas Cadwell, Edward J, 
French, Quartus Farwell, Horace S. Gree- 
ly, Albert Guptill, John P. Gupiill, D. J. 
Hanscom Ezra G. Hicks, E<lwin Kidder, 
W. A. Milliifan, Charles Neal, Daniel F. 
Perkins, William H. Stewart, J. C. Wins- 
low, Albana Wade, S. F. Brown, Aaron 
Scribner and Thos. Straw. 

Andrew F. Perkins enlisted in Nov., 
1861, in the Ist Minnesota Regiment. 
David Spaulding, AlonsoSpaulding, John 
Widert, John Greely, David Go')dner, 
Alberton Whitney and Thomas Falone, 
eniifted in different regiments, the three 
last in 1865, and went rfouth ; while W. W. 
Clark, Chester Clark and Albert Guptill 
enlisted in the 2ud Minnnesota Cav dry, 
and were sent out to scout on the western 
frontier. Thomas O. and George .Spauld- 
ing enlisted with Capt. Oscar Taylor, and 
fought Indians on the plains. This makes 
thirty-two that volunteered Irom our town. 
Of the above volunteers, four never re- 
turned. Horace Greely died ai St. An- 



thony, Minn., on his way home in 1863; 
John P. Guptill died April 24, 1863, in a 
floating hospital at Nashville; Daniel F. 
Perkins was killed May 22, 1863, in battle 
at Vicksburg; Alberton Whitney died in 
1865. The few men left at home had to 
work hard to take care of their farms for 
there were no men that could be hired. 

PRIVATIONS OF EARLY PIONEERS. 

Nothing has been said so far of the suf- 
fering and privationsof the early pioneers. 
The means of nearly all of them had been 
exhausted by the expense incurred in 
moving out to this country, and in im- 
provements; in purchasing provisions and 
seeds. They expecti d to raise enough the 
first summer for their own food, but the 
locusts came and devoured must of their 
crops. Th.i winter of 1856 7 was a hard 
one for the settlers. Provisions had to be 
hauled from St. Anthony. The closest 
economy had to be used in keeping down 
expenses, and such luxuries as tea, sugar 
and coflee were seldom used. In the 
spring of 1857, great difficulty was ex- 
I erienced in procuring seed to plant their 
fields. But they were finally seeded, and 
there was a good prospect of an abundant 
crop, when, just before the timefoi harvest 
to begin, an immense swarm of locusts 
aligh'ed and in one day these ravenous 
pests devoured their entire crop. 

The winter of 1857-8 will long be re- 
membered by those early pioneers. With 
their crops destroyed, their funds exhaust- 
ed and much of their property mortgaged, 
and a long cold winter before them, the 
prospects were gloomy enough to appall 
the stoutest heart. But these people were 
not easily discouraged. They had to 
economize in every possible way. Fish 
and wild game of all kinds were made use 
of for food to help out their slender store of 
provinions. Some of the familien at times 
had but one or two articles i-f food in the 
house. For shoes and clothing the strictest 
economy had to be practiced. O'd boot 
tops were taken by the women and made 
into shoes for the children, often using 
heavy cloth or felt for all but the soles, 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



and Boiuetimes a man would take the boot 
tops of last winter's wear and make a pair 
of moccasins for the next winter's use. 
After his woolen pants had been very 
much demoralized and unpresentable in 
polite society, and his coat and vest would 
let the gentle zephers of summer or the 
fierce blizzards perambulate unchecked 
around bis body, he would, by some 
method wholly unexplainable, procure 
some heavy white ducking, and his wife 
would make a pair of overalls and a 
"warmus," the one to cover his pants and 
the other to hide the defects of his coat. 
Then (or a few weeks, while this new over 
suit was clean and his head covered with 
a coon skin cap of home manufacture, he 
felt in a condition to attend church. Dur- 
ing all of this time the hearts of the 
settlers never failed them. They were 
cheerful and hopeful. Their morning cup 
of coffee, made of roasted peas or dried 
bread crusfs browned, often without sweet- 
ening, was relished by thone whose appe- 
tites were stimulated by healthy exercise. 
With unflinching courage they procured 
seed to sow their lands in the spring of 
1858. The good soil of Minne.sota re- 
sponded nobly and their crops were good, 
but it took several years to recover from 
their loss and pay old debts and begin to 
live. 

THE SIOUX OUTBREAK OF 1862. 
During the outbreak of the Sioux In- 
dians, in the summer of 1862, there were 
many acts of bravery, many deeds of valor, 
many scenes of heroic unselfish devotion of 
man to man, and many exciting incidents 
that the historian has never chronicled, 
and which are only remembered by the 
few survivors who are fist passing to that 
bourne from whence none returneth. Al- 
though the numbers enjjaged in deadly con- 
flict with thtir relentless and savage foes 
were small and in8igDificanl,iD comparison 
to the vast armies that were engaged in 
putting down the rebellion, yet in true 
bravery, heroism and courage, these 
pioneers were unsurpassed by any of their 
brethren on southern battle fields. The 



future history of Minnesota, and especial- 
ly of the events occurrifg during the pro- 
gress of the massacre of the whites in 1862, 
by the Sioux Indians, would be incom- 
plete without an account of tiie thrilling 
events that transpired in the many isolated 
little hamlets and settlements upon the 
extreme frontier of the young state. None 
of the historians of that eventful period 
have mentioned the i>rominent ])art taken 
by the people of Maine Prairie in the 
brave stand they m «de for their homes. 
And, asthe principal actors of those stormy 
days are fast passing away, it was deemed 
advisable to record as m iny of the leading 
events of that period, participated in by 
the people of that isolated settlement as 
could be found. 

THE GREAT SIOUX OUTBREAK. 

The town of Maine Prairij is situated 
fifteen miles southwest of St. Cloud. The 
prairie proper is irregular in shape, from 
four to five miles acri>ss, and, in 1862, had 
about fifty-five American families, with a 
few German families in the northwest 
corner. It the fall of 1861, (lapt. Inman 
had organized company D. 4th regiment, 
for the war, in which about 22 had enlist- 
ed from our town. Besidf'S these several 
others had enlisted in other regiments. 
After doing duty at Fort Abercrombie 
during the winter, they started the next 
April for the seat of war, leavina about 
thirty-five men, not including a numberof 
quite old men, and a few boys, in the town. 
There were but two or three reapers on the 
prairie, the grain being bound on the 
ground by hand, and needing from six to 
nine men to make a full crew. Th« harvest 
that year was very heavy and late. It 
was impossible to hire men to help har- 
vest, and the only way for a farmer to get 
his grain cut was to join a crew and follow 
a reaping machine. In this way he helped 
others and they in turn were to a-^sist him. 
We had been harvesting but a few days, 
when, about the 19th of August, a rumor 
was brought that the Sioux Iiidiaus, near 
Yellow Medicine, had killt-d some of the 
whiles. It was thought to be only a 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



drunken row, and no alarm was f- It. A 
henvy rain falling that afternoon 
stopped the reaping for the next day, and 
a number of the settlers on horseback 
happened to meet near the center of the 
Prairie. Among the number were A. B. 
Greely, E. H. Atwood, D. A. Hoyt and 
A. S. Greely. Rumors of more Indian 
depredations had been heard, and some 
alaim was felt. After discussing the sub- 
ject a while, it was voted that E. H. At- 
wood and A. B. (ireely should go to 
Fair Haven, and farther, i( necessary, 
to obtain some definite information regard- 
ing the truth of the rumors. If there was 
danger they were to come back and call a 
meeting of the settlers. Both bad good 
blooded horses, and they soon arrived at 
Fair Haven, where they found the people 
greatly excited, for a messenger with dis- 
patches for Governor Ramsey had just ar- 
rived from the seat of war bringing in- 
formation that the Indians and soldiers 
had I et in battle, and that a vast horde of 
savages were butchering the inhabitants, 
burning and torturing their captives, and 
committing the most atrocious cruelties 
ever known in the annals of savage war- 
fare. They were sweeping everything be- 
fore them, were coming our way, and un- 
less checked we might expect them to 
reach us in from 36 to 48 hours. They had 
heard enough. The fearfal thought that 
their homes, their wives and cfiildren were 
BO'm to be at the mercy of blood thirsty 
8:ivages, was enough to appal the stoutest 
heart. Our town was so situated that it 
would undoubtedly receive the first and 
most furious shock of the advancing horde 
of inhuman monnters. 

WARNING THE SETTLERS. 

It was then three o'clock p. m. The 
settlers of Maine Prairie must be warned 
to prepare to meet and repulse the foe. 
There was no talk of seeking safety in 
flight. We had a little band of 30 or 40 
pioneers who could handle a gun who did 
not propose to be driven from their homes 
Wheeling their horses around, the two 
couriers started back to warn the people 



of their peril. Faster and faster they 
urged their spirited horses, and as they 
reached the settlement each took dif- 
ferent routes stopping at each house just 
long enough to tell them to be at 
Spaulding's blacksmith shop at six p. m., 
to take measures against the Indians. The 
blood and foam-covered sides, and heaving 
flanks of their horses, carried conviction 
to the settlers that prompt action was 
necessary. At six o'clock the two couriers 
dashed up to the blacksmith shop, both 
horses and riders nearly exhausted. They 
had personally warned each family, or 
sent them word, and each had ridden over 
thirty miles in three hours. Nearly every 
man in town was there. The meeting was 
called to order, and after fully discussing 
the situation, it was unanimously decided 
to stay and 

FIGHT THE INDIANS 
if they should attack us. An organization 
was eflTected by choosing R. F. Ad ley 
Captain, F. H. Dam, D. W. Fowler, E. 
H. Atwood and Joseph Eaton were given 
the title ol 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th lieutenants; 
R. F. Adiey, F. H and Joseph Dam were 
chosen a committee on fortifications, and 
A. B. Greely was chosen commissary; F. 
M. Kimball, Wm. H. Heywood and Alex 
Spaulding were chosen as 1st, 2d and 3d 
sergeant''. 

Every man was to come out the nf xt 
morning with teams, wagons and other 
tools and meet at the blacksmith shop, 
(which was near the center, and com- 
manded a view of nearly all the prairie) 
for the purpose of building a fort. James 
Jenks and F. H. Dam were chosen to su- 
pervise the building. 

BUILDING A BLOCK HOUSE. 

Early the next morning nearly every 
man was on hand. A site just south of 
the present Methodist church was chosen 
for a fort. All day long men worked with 
eager haste to erect an inclosure capable 
of holding their families in case of an at- 
tack. The fort was forty feet square, made 
by standing a double row of tamarack logs 
on end close together. They were sixteen 



14 



HISTORY OF MAINE I'KAIKIE. 



feet above ground and two feet in the 
ground, all roofed in, making it when 
finally finislied, three stories high. Tim- 
bers were run out under the eaves at two 
corners and bullet proof rifle pits were 
built capable of holding three or four rifle 
men, to protect the sides of the fort. 
House and barn logfl, fence rails, barn 
timbers, bridge timber, wherever found, 
was taken with or without leave, but gen- 
erally it was freely donated. 

All that and the following day the men 
worked like beavers, but toward night of 
the second day, no frcHh news coming in 
from the scene of Indian depredations, 
many began to doubt the danger, and the 
idea began to prevail that they had not 
secured suflBcient evidence to warrant 
them in going to such an outlay. 
Some did not propose to do any more work 
on the fort until there was more proof of 
danger. The next mornirg only about 
half the men came back to work, the others 
went to harvesting their grain. Those 
working upon the fort had succeeded in 
getting the sides up when about four 
o'clock p. m. a courier arrived with the 

STARTLING INTELLIOENCE 

that the Indians had attacked the little 
settlement of Paynesville the night before 
and had massacred all the inhabitants and 
had perpetrated all the harrowing atroc- 
ities usually indulged in by savajjes. As 
Paynesville was but 22 or 23 miles from 
Maine Prairie, it was believed that the 
whole force of Indians would be upon us 
before morning. The reception of the 
startling news that the savages were so near 
at hand, and might even then be re-enact- 
ing the same fe.irful slaughter among their 
own families in the outskirts of the town 
created for awhile the utmost confusion 
and panic. A vote was immediately taken 
to get all the women and children together 
as soon as possible and start for St. Cloud. 
But the cool heads of R. F. Adiey, Wm. 
L. Heywood, F. H. Dam, E. H. Atwood, 
James Jenks, A. B. Greely and others, 
showed them the danger of a long exposed 
line of teams going through the brush and 



timber to St. Cloud, where a few Indians 
could kill the whole of them without 
danger to themselves. Another vote was 
taken, and it was agreed to bring all the 
women and children to the fort, place 
them in the stockade and the meu guard 
the outside. It was then nearly five 
o'clock. There was not a moment to be 
lost. Those living at a distance whose 
houses were surrounded with timber, 
feared that their families might be the 
first victims of the relentless savages. This 
caused them to make all haste possible, 
and when they found their loved ones safe 
their hearts were full of thankfulness. 
Hastily selecting mch articles of clothing 
and provisioa as were actually necessary, 
they hastened to a place of safety, admon- 
ised by the sinking sun. Swift courriers 
had been sent out and all had been warned 
of the impending danger. 

GATHERING IX THE BLOCK HOUSE. 
Soon after sundown the settlers and their 
families began to arrive at the fort. Capt. 
Adley and a part of the officers were kept 
busy making arrangements for the women 
and childn-n, while otlurs were equally 
active in fortifying and placing out pick- 
ets to prevent a surprise. 

MILITARY PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENSE. 

There were three houses near the fort 
(which was not yet roofed in,) in which 
the women and children were placed. 
Pass words were given out and orders given 
that no one was allowed outside the picket 
line. A few mounted pickets were sent 
out a mile or so with orders to dismount 
and listen with their ears to the ground. 
Upon the approach of danger they were to 
fire their guns and ride for the fort. Few 
if any men sltpt that night. It was be- 
lieved that the Indians would attack us 
before morning. A few men worked all 
night long in building up breast works. 
Boxes, trunks and anything that could be 
found were used and before morning a 
fairly good breast work had been erected 
on four sides of the fort. Each man's arms 
were carefully examined and nothing was 
left undone that couhl be done to prepare 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



15 



for a conflict with the Indians. So the 
night pabsed and the morning came. Af- 
ter a hasty breakfast all went to work to 
finish the fort. 

It was Sunday, and in the afternoon 
Elder Brooks preached a sermon in the 
stockade. Then work was resumed and by 
night the sides of the fort were considered 
bullet-proof and many of the families 
moved in. Many had ventured home and 
brought back supplies. That night, after 
carefully placing out a strong line of 
pickets and a few mounted ones, nearly all 
the rest, overcome by fatigue, had fallen 
asleep. About midnight a shot rang out 
upon the still night air from one of the 
mounted pickets a mile to the south, fol- 
lowed by the clatter of a horse coming 
with headlong speed. The alarm was 
given, the men sprang to their arms and 
quickly formed in line, A lieutenant, 
with nine men, was sent to each of the 
four breast works with orders to hold them 
at all hazards. There was no confusion. 
Orders were given and executed quickly, 
and, ere the arrival of the mounted picket, 
we were fully prepared to receive the foe 
with a force of ten men at each breast work 
and the captain with a small reserve in 
the center. Just then the horseman, A. 
D. Guptil came up and reported that be 
saw what he took to be an Indian partly 
emerge from ihe brush, and had shot at 
him and then started for the fort, but had 
gone but a few rods when he heard a horse 
whinney and thought it more than likely 
that it was a stray horse. A small party 
immediately started back to cautiously 
reconoiter, and found the object shot at to 
be a colt belonging to Orlen Farwell. It 
was slightly wounded in the leg. Mr. 
Farwell congratulated the picket upon his 
coolness. Then the sleepy and exhausted 
men sank down again to gain a little rest. 

THE BRAVE WOMEN OF 1862. 

The next day the work on the fort was 
resumed. While the men were busy, 
the women were not idle. There 
was but little ammunition in the town, but 
what there was was put into the general 



fund and the woman were busy making it 
up into cartidges. All the lead and pewter 
that could be found they manufac- 
tured into bullets and heavy shot. Band- 
ages and lint were prepared. The com- 
missary stocked the fort with. 

PROVISIONS FOR A SIEGE. 

Barrels were filled with water and 
placed into the fort, and lumber was pre- 
pared to curb a well inside in case of 
need. Teams wore sent to St. Cloud for 
lumber and shingles for the fort. H. P. 
Bennett the gunsmith was kept busy fixing 
up old guns. No one was idle, for it was 
believed that the danger was imminent. 
Rumors of Indian depredations reached 
us daily, and many believed that they 
would be upon us before another sunrise. 

THE MEN RECEIVE ORDERS. 

Before night the men were assembled 
together and instructed how to act in case 
of an attack, when and where to assemble 
on the first alarm. None were allowed 
outside the lines. The countersign was 
given out, and a double line of pickets 
stationed around the fort. Every gun was 
carefully examined, and ammunition 
given out. Then those not on duty lay 
down to rest, with loaded guns and am- 
munition at their side. The pickets were 
changed at midnight. Several of the offi- 
cers never retired, but kept a keen watch, 
listening to catch the first and faintest 
sound of an approaching foe. The night 
passed with no alarm, and next day the 
work on the fort was pushed ahead, with 
all vigor possible. The shingles had come 
and the roof and floors for ihe second and 
third stories were hurried forward. 

STILL WAITING THE DREADED ATTACK. 

Another day passed, rumors of the ter- 
lible fighting between settlers and Indians 
to the south and west ef us were heard 
daily. Every precaution was taken to 
guard the loved ones. Pistols and knives 
were given to women with the command 
that they never allow themselves to be 
taken captive alive by the Indians. Most 
of the women and children now slept in 
the fort. The next day the roofs and fl9ors 



i6 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIHIE. 



were finished and each family was allotted 
a sleeping space. The dividing partition 
between families consisted often of only a 
chalk mark upon the floor. These slender 
and inadequate partitions occasionally led 
to ludicrous and sometimes serious blun- 
ders. A weary guard who had been re- 
lieved of picket-duty at midnight, would 
quietly enter the fort and relying upon 
his knowledge of the location of his own 
family's allotted space upon the second 
floor, would undertake to find it in the 
dark. TLe next morning's light might 
find him located two or three blocks away 
from his own, and in the vicinity of some 
other man's wife. It sometimes took a 
long time to satisfactorialy explain to his 
wife and the woman's husband, just how 
the mistake occured. Litlle shanties to 
cook in were erected 40 to 60 rods from 
the fort and were occupied by one, two or 
more families during the day. 

A COMMON INCIDENT. 

About this time a strange woman was 
seen not far ofl' calling for some ©f the 
women to come to her. They found her 
to be a Swede girl whose family, father, 
mother, brothers and sisters had been 
butchered and tortured before her eyes, 
and she had been taken captive by two 
lustful savages who had kept her for two 
or three days abusing her in the most 
horrible and brutal manuer. Her 
clothing had been nearly all torn 
from her. She had succeeded in 
escaping from her fearful bondage 
and bad wandered in an almost nude con- 
dition until we saw her. Our women 
clothed her and kindly cared for her until 
her strength returned, then sent her on to 
Clearwater, where she expected to find 
friends. 

INDIANS IN SIGHT. 

That night, just before dark, Mr. Stone, 
who had come down with his family from 
near Sauk Center, saw four Indians skulk- 
ing among the willows near the lake, about 
eighty rods distant. Stone immediately 
reported the discovery to E. H. Atwood, 
one of the officers. Drill Sergeant F. H. 



Dam, was ordered to immediately get all 
men in line and drill them, and have their 
arms inspected. The band of men with 
fife and drum made quite an imposing 
spectacle. A meeting of the women was 
called in the fort. Thus without any con- 
fusion all the women wers gathered safely 
into the fort, and the men informed of the 
discovery of the Indians, and that we 
might expect an attack some time during 
the night. A strong picket line was put 
out, with orders to watch for Indians. 

SKIRMISH ON TIIK PICKET LINE. 

About nine o'clock the otiliness of the 
night was broken by the reports of several 
shots on the picket line. Ii was then be- 
lieved that the long looked for battle was 
about to begin. The orders of Capt. Adley 
ould be heard calling the men to rally 
around the fort. Lieutenant Atwood 
hastened to the picket line to assist in 
holding the Indians in check. He found 
the picket, Redman Field, bravely load- 
ing his gun. An Indian had crawled up 
through the grass to within three rods of 
Field and then fired, the shot fortunately 
striking the ground at his feet, (^uick as 
possible Field, like a true veteran, had a 
bead on the Indian and fired. He 
sprang into the air and diappeartd 
in the dark. Richard Vandervoort was 
the next to re-enforce the picket line, and 
his keen eye soon detected a dark object 
in the grass. As no one was allowed out- 
side the lines, it was believed to be an 
Indian, and Vandervoort fired at it. When 
the smoke cleared away the object was 
gone. Not knowing what game the In- 
dians were up to, the men slept with their 
arms by their sides, ready for immediate 
use. The next morning the trail where 
the Indians had wormed their way through 
the grass was easily seen. 

SAVING TIIK CROPS. 

During all this time a large part of the 
wheat and oats were standing uncut in the 
fields exposed to the destruction of the ele- 
ments, which caused the grain to lodge. 
So, just as soon as the fort was completed, 
the men went out in small parties to bar- 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



17 



vest their grain, always keeping one or 
two men on the watch for the foe, each 
harvester keeping near his gun. An mm 
were scarce several girls assisted by driv- 
ing the reapers. 

By this time, our numbers had been in- 
creased by additions from families further 
west. Among the number was Mr. Robert 
Wheeler and wife, and daughters Nellie 
and Lidia, Mr Stone and wife and son 
Frank and daughter Ella, and Wm. West- 
over from near Sauk Center. 

One m«rning a pnrty of nine men went 
to harvest E. H. Atwood's grain, Mrs. 
Thos. B. Standley volunteered to go to the 
bouse and cook the dinner. The house 
was situated in the edge of the timber. 
Every precaution was taken to prevent a 
surprise. Two men were placed on guard 
and every one kept his gun near him. 

SETTLERS ATTACKED ON THE ROAD, 

Messrs. Stone, Wheeler and Westover 
had decided to return to their homes, and 
about ten o'clock passed Atwood's bouse 
with an ox team and their families. About 
an hour after they had passed heavy and 
rapid firing was heard in the direction 
which they had taken. As the guns 
sounded like Indian guns, there was 
some uneasiness felt and just as the 
men were going to dinner Westover 
was seen coming running at his utmost 
speed. He was nearly exhauHted and said 
that they were going along through the 
brush one and a half miles west of Pearl 
Lake, Wheeler a few rods ahead of the 
team. Stone jupt back of the wagon and he 
a little further back, when just as the/ 
came to th« foot of a hill three Indians 
were seen dodging behind the bushes near 
the road and one of them rose up, but two 
or three rods off, and fired at VV heeler, but 
missed him. Wheeler returned the fire, 
and the Indinn dropped behind the brush. 
Slone sprang forward just in time to see a 
naked savage taking deadly aim at 
Wheeler from behind a clump of bushes. 
His naked left side was exposed and Stone 
put in a charge of buck shot "where it did 
the most good." The Indian fell to the 



ground without a groan and the other In- 
dians fled. The wagon was turned around 
and they ran their oxen back a mile 
and a half to Mr. Watkins' house, 
where the oxen fell down from 
exhaustion. They had seen the 

Indians running their ponies to get 
ahead of them and cut off their retreat, 
but they had failed, and had come out in- 
to the road a little behind them. Stone 
and Wheeler and their families took 
refuge in the Watkins house and Westover 
had come on to our place for help. From 
the boldness of the attack, it was thought 
there were quite a number of Indians. No 
time was to be lost if we would save the 
besiged ones. Orders were rapidly given 
and quickly executed. A. S. Greely was 
ordend to hitch his team to a wagon and 
take Mrs. Standly to the fort with all pos- 
sible speed. One or two other men were 
sent to warn other parties, who were har- 
vesting in other places, and scouts were 
sent out to prevent a surprise. Mrs, 
Standly was informed of the situation and 
danger, and that the men were going to 
rescue the besieged people, and that she 
was to get into the wagon and go to the 
fort in haste, but she insisted that as dinner 
was all ready we should eat before going. 
It was argued that the danger was im- 
minent, that even now there was danger 
of our being surr<iunded by the savages, or 
that the women and children might be 
captured if we delayed. She still insisted 
that we would be half sick if we went 
"trapesing off there without our dinner," 
and that the beans would all be cold and 
mussed up. Just then hearing firing in 
the direction of the Watkins house she 
was persuaded to go. The rest of the 
party, six or seven in number, started for 
the rescue. The Indians fled upon their 
approach. The oxen were found alive and 
able to travel, and were hurriedly started 
for the fort, with the women and children, 
and guardeii out of the timber by the 
whole force. Five then started to rescue 
Mr. A. Maservey, John White and H. 
Clark, who were harvesting a siUi^ll field 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



west of M. Greely's The Indians had 
been seen on their ponies near this field. 
The field was found deserted, the 
horses gone, and appearances indicated that 
the place had been raided. While cau- 
tiously reconnoitering the place, Atwood 
saw a bald head and red face peering 
around the corner of the old log house. 
Taking it for the head of an Indian he 
took aim and was just pulling the trigger, 
when he discovered his mistake. It was 
A. Maservcy's head. It was a narrow es- 
cape. The men were taking their after 
dinner nap and knew nothing of their 
danger. The whole party then started for 
the dead or wounded Indian that Stone 
had shot, and were soon joined by about 
20 from the fort. When the watchmen 
on the fort saw A. S. Greely running his 
horses to the fort he raised the alarm flag 
and fired the signal guns. The harvesters 
came pouring in from all directions and 
when they heard of the peril of their com- 
rades, hastened forward to their assistance, 
the party were so close upon the retreat- 
ing Indians that they had barely time to 
snatch their dead or wounded comrade 
and escape, leaving, where he had fallen, 
a new bed cord, an oil cloth gun cover, a 
woman's shawl, a white clean new woolen 
bed blanket and an old smoked Indian 
blanket. Their trail was followed over 
the hills a mile or more and lost. The 
party returned to the fort with appetites 
that could relish beans, even if they were 
cold and all mussed up. Thus far the 
Indians had found our people alert and 
watchful, brave and ready on the instant. 
Contious and crafty as the Indians were. 
It is untoubtedly due to our attitude, that 
the savages were deterred from making 
any formidable raid upon our settlement. 
Thus we were saved from the fate of many 
other sections. 

F. 11. DAM RIDES TO ST PAUL. 

We had but few guns and but little am- 
munition. F. H. Dam volunteered to go 
to St. P.iul and endeavor to procure some 
guns and powder and shot from the gov- 
ernment. He had John Farwell's fast 



horse, and made the trip of 150 miles in 
about 3G hf>urs, braving the dangers of 
driving throujih alone in the niglit from 
Clearwater. The few old muskets and am- 
munition that he could get were gladly re- 
ceived. After that John Farwell drove to 
St. Paul and returned with more old mus- 
kets and Hmmunition. The wonderful and 
vigorous kick which thene old muskets 
could exert made it equally dangerous to 
be at either end when they were fired oflT. 
But they had bayonets on them and looked 
for.i'idable. 

The next year Jolin White was hunting 
for a lost cow and had one of these kick- 
ing government muskets. Getting up on 
a high log for a better view, he discovered 
a black bear but a few rods away. Bruin 
saw him at ihe same time and raised up 
on his hind legs. While took good aim 
and fired. The gun kicked him heels over- 
head and the last he saw of the bear he 
was performinsf a similar acrobitic feat. 

WILLMOTT MAVBEE AND COMRADES KILLED. 

There was a small settlement at Manna- 
nah, 22 miles west of Maine Prairie, oi four 
or five families. Upon the first alarm they 
iiad all fled to s ifer places, some to Clear- 
water and some to otiier places. After re- 
maining a few days a parly often or fifteen 
men thought there was no danger and re- 
turned to get supplies of provisions and 
other goods and to look after their stock. 
They were urged not to go, as it was be- 
lieved to be a dangerous undertaking. But 
they had no fear. When they arrived 
near their homes two of their number, 
Thomas Ryckman and Chauncy Willson 
left the wagon to look after some 
cattle. Mr. Willmot Maybee, Lyman 
Howe and Joseph Page were in the 
two-horse wagon Mr. Maybee was driving, 
and Philip Deck was driving a one horse 
rig. 

Willson and Ryckman were about 80 
rods distant, when just as the party drove 
up to their house imagine their horror to 
see a party of Indians rise up from behind 
a jiile of lumber and shoot and kill the 
fiur men in the wagons. These two men 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE, 



19 



on foot sprang into the timber with the 
Indians in close pursuit. They succeeded 
in escaping from their persuers and start- 
ed for Maine Prairie Fort where they ar- 
rived almost bereft of their senses, bare 
headed and bare footed. They were brave 
men, but the horror of seeing their friends 
killed and mangled, and fearing every 
moment that they might be overtaken bv 
the savages whom they imagined were 
pursuing them [during their long flight, 
had completely prostrated them. 

The balance of the party coming up la- 
ter discovered the dead bodies of their 
comrades and started at once for Forest 
City, not waiting to investigate. They 
put in a borrowing night wading through 
marshes and orusb, not daring to keep the 
road for fear of meeting Indians. They 
reached the City the next morning in a 
deplorable condition. A party of men 
went right back and found all except May- 
bee who was found two months later by a 
soldier. Mr. Howe had been scalped and 
Mr. Page's throat was c it from ear to ear. 
The others were not mutulated. Mr. Ryck- 
man is now one of Meeker county's mast 
prosperous farmers and is living at Uiiion 
Grove. But he will never for. et his thril- 
ling experience at Mannanah, Aug. 26, 
1862. 

This incident caused us to redouble our 
precautious at the fort. From many signs 
seen and heard it was believed that our 
movements were closely watched by our 
savage foe from the surrounding hills, but 
finding us always on the alert, brave and 
ready t® dash out whenever there was a 
foe or sign ot a foe in sight, and a match 
for them in caution and strategy, they 
dared not to molest us. The brave stand 
made by these resolute men undoubtedly 
had its influence in holding in check the 
savages. 

"WHAT THE LOOKOUT FOUND. 
A little incident that occurred about this 
time still farther strengthened them in 
the belief that our movements were being 
watched by the Indians. R. M. Vander- 
vo-rt was appointed to keep a lookout 



from the top of the fort during the day 
with a telescope to guard against a sur- 
prise by the Indians. He faithfully filled 
that responsible position for three weeks. 
One day he engaged a substitute to fill his 
place while he took a vacation, and went 
into the timb*r near Cornelian lake for 
wild plums. He had not proceeded far 
when he discovered a small pile of ashes. 
As they looked fresh he was somewhat 
startled. Thrusting his hand into them 
he discovered that there was fire, and be- 
lieving that the fire had been built by an 
Indiin and fearing he might then be near 
and probably drawing a bead on him, he 
claims that he made the best time on 
rtcord in his flight to the fort. 

GETTING AMMUNITION AT ST. CLOUD. 

It was understood at St. Cloud that a 
courier would be sent through from the 
prairie each uay unless surrounded by the 
foe. It was brush and timber nearly all 
the way and the messenger could easily 
be shot by an unseen savage. The next 
morning D. A. Hoyt, E. H. Atwood and 
H. P. Bennett volunteered to go through 
to St. Cloud. It was one of the darkest 
periods of the outbreak. James Jenks of- 
fered them his ponies. Mr. Jenks was 
one of those big hearted, whole eouled 
men often found on the frontier. These 
ponies were thoroughly disgusted with life 
in this world, and it required very weighty 
argument, and unscriptural language, be- 
sides the vigorous application of a three- 
quarter inch brad, to induce them to go 
faster than a walk. The citiz^jna of St. 
Cloud were found badly frightened and 
many leaving for the east. The were fear- 
ful that the Chippewas would be down 
upon them. General H. Z. Mitchell pre- 
sented Atwood with two sacks of buckshot 
and a can of powder. We were in great need 
of anjmunition and were glad to gt-t these 
supplies for the fort. It was near mid- 
night when the party reached tlie prairie 
on their return. 

TWO FALSE ALARM.S. 

They found the men at the fort all un- 
der arms and a double line of pickets on 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIKIK 



guard. Joseph Watkins, and Mr. and Mrs. 
J. H. Nojes had gone out to R. F. Adley's 
house to sleep. It was against the orders 
of the captain to leave the fori at night 
without leave. No one knew that anyone 
was outside the fort. Near midniglit 
Watkins saw through the window what he 
took to be three Indians on ponies near 
the bouse. Hastily taking his gun and 
awakening Mr. Noyes he was ready to 
give them a warm reception. But they 
had mysteriously disappeared. He im- 
mediately gave the alarm by firing the 
danger signal. The fort was aroused, but 
as no one knew of anyone being outside of 
the lines, it was thought to be a decoy. 
After firing the danger signal, several 
times Watkins came to the fort and re- 
I)orted his discovery. Several went down 
with a buggy and brought Mrs. Noyes to 
the fort. It proved to be three stray colts 
that were taken for Indians. 

The second day after this scire, a party 
of men from St. Cloud, who had been out 
beyond Forest City to bury some of their 
countrymen, who had been murdered by 
the Sioux, were returning home. When 
about one and a half miles from the fort 
in the timber they thoughtlessly began 
firing ofT their guns to clean them. Hear- 
ing the firing at the fort it was thought 
that the Indians were attacking the whites. 
Then there was mounting in hot haste and 
swiftly forming, a strong force was soon 
upon the spot ready for action, but they 
discovered their mistake before any blood 
was shed. 

THE ATTACK ON FOREST CITY. 

No freah rumors of Indian depredations 
had be^n heard for a day or two, and the 
men were somewhat relaxing the usual 
vigilance and were hoping that "the cruel 
war was o'er," when just before night a 
messenger came through from Forei^t City, 
16 miles southwest of us, with word that 
their fort had been attacked the night be- 
fore by a band of Sioux and several bad 
been killed and the rest compelled to re- 
main in the fort and see the Indians har- 
ness their horses to wagons, load them 



with plunder and go ofl". At this fort there 
was a company of cavalry and about one 
hundred and fifty armed citizens. As we 
had but forty or fifty men at onr fort with 
but little ammunition and very inferior 
arms, we felt that our i)Ositi()n was critical. 
Every man was called in, arms exam- 
ined and everything done that could be 
done to prepare for the worst. The wagons 
were rendered useless by taking off and 
hiding the nuts and the horses were 
turned loose in a large pasture There 
was little sleep that night. From the ac- 
tions of the dogs, it was thought they 
heard or smelled Indians. They snifled 
the air to the west and barked continually. 
One of our men burning with a desire to 
avenge the wrongs and cruelties that he 
bad seen and heard of felt a strong desire 
to shoot and scalp an Indian. So intense 
was this passion that he went to the picket 
on the west and told him he was going to 
reconnoiter for a scalp. Carefully load- 
ing his gun, with pistol and knife in his 
belt, he began crawling off into the d:irk- 
ness listening with ear to the ground then 
advancing, then listening and peering 
through the darkness otten iraagning that 
be could hear the approach of the crafty foe 
or that some dark object in the grass might 
be a skulking savage, until after hours 
of patient search he crawled back greatly 
disappointed. The Indians were not be 
caught napping. The next day the forti- 
fications were strenghtened by building a 
breast work all around them and just out- 
side of this a deep ditch or moat was dug 
10 feet deep and 10 feet wide. Our horses 
were placed in this at night. We now 
felt that we could hold our fort against 
five hundred savages and did not need so 
many pickets. All slept in the fort nights, 
except those who where out as pickets or 
to go out at midnight. These slept in the 
blacksmith shop. 

INDIANS DRIVEN OFF RY TROOPS. 

Soon after the raid on Forest City, the 
Indians were driven back by the State and 
United States troops, and the settlers be- 
gan to feel safer, although occasional signs 



HISTORY OF MAINE PKAIKIE. 



were seen that would iodicate that there 
were a few savages skulking around, who 
wo lid murder whenever they could. A 
few began to leave the fort and go to their 
homes. 

ATTACKED BY AN INDIAN. 
Old Mr. Field, his son and daughter, 
went to their home one morning, and in 
the afternoon the daughter went into the 
brush near by to pick plums. A painted 
warrior rose up near her and sprang for 
her. She screamed and ran for the house 
the Indian in close pursuit. Jnst as she 
reached the edge of the brush lie caught 
her dress by one hand and struck her with 
a knife with the other hand. She tore 
loose, and as her father and brother, hear- 
ing her screams, had co re to her assist- 
ance, the Indian retreated. The wound 
received was on her arm and not very 
deep. She was brought to the fort, but was 
prostrated for some time from the shock. 

WATER MELON BRIGADE. 

This time a number of young men, with 
a man calling himself "Captain," came 
to the fort, and confiscated some horses, 
grnin and provisions, in the name of the 
State or some other authority. They misht 
have been of great help to the people, but 
their undesciplined actions and wild be- 
havior made them obnoxious. They 
were c^Ilt^d the "Water Mel'n Brigade," 
on account of their many raids upon the 
water melon patches. 

RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES. 

Gradually the people sought their 
homes, but sonie stayed at the f 'rt until 
cold weather, when all left, and the usual 
routine of parties, lectures, meetings, sur- 
j)ri8e parties and donations followed each 
other in rapid succepsion. It must not be 
inferred from ttiis fact that life was one of 
sad and fearful foreboding. There were 
many occasions of merriment; many 
laughable incidenis, many pleasant hours, 
and, among the younger lads and lassies, 
many i tender look and action that were 
the first seeds that soon ripened into a 
closer union of soul to soul. No doubt, the 
peril that surrounded them made many a 



young man vow to sell his life dearly, 
should ii ever be necessary, in defense of 
the young lady walking by his side; and 
the proud bearing and brave demeanor of 
her young escort would tend to soften the 
heart of the most obdurate maiden. Oh, 
there is nothing like a common danger, 
and a common cause to bring the hearts of 
brave men and women to beat in unison. 
But, alas for the fickleness of the human 
heart. It is believed that in more than 
one case, when the danger was over and 
I he close associations were ended, that 
time, distance and other associations, 
gradually caused a coolness, then a final 
severing of the once united hearts. 

A NEWSPAPER ITEM. 

In the St. Cloud Democrat, of Sept. 4, 
1862, under the head of "locals" appeared 
the following: 

"As we go to press, this note is handed 
us. It is from a well known Maine Prairie 
citizen to his wife: 

Dear Augusta: We were cutting our 
wheat yesterday, when a man came run- 
nii.g saying they had started back to Cold 
Springs with three men, women and chil- 
dren in an ox team. When they had got 
a mile beyond John White's three Indians 
arose. One Indian fired at one of the men 
not more than twenty feet off, but missed 
him Each of the men fired, and one In- 
dian dropped as though killed. Then the 
men turned the team around and run the 
oxen back to the Cutter house. The In- 
dians trying to head them off, but did not 
succeed. Two of the men stayed with the 
women in the house, while the other came 
through and told me. We took a wagon 
and went over and got the family to a safe 
place, and then went up to find the dead 
Indian. We found two blankets, a shawl, 
a bed cord and gun civer, and some blood, 
but no Indian. We had an alarm this 
mornintj about 4 o'clock. I have no time 
for particulars. E. H. Atwood. 

THE WINTER OF 1862-3. 

On account of the trouble with the In- 
dians, quite a percentage of the crop of 
1862 was lost or damaged, and it was very 
late in the fall before the grain was all 
secured. Although the settlers had plenty 
to eat, still, on account of their losses and 
the hard times, they had to economize in 
Cvijry possible way during the winter of 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIKIK. 



1862-3. Tea, coffee and pugar were lux- 
uries that but few could indulge in. Home 
grown tobacco whh largely used as a sub- 
stitute for that sold in the stores. A new 
suit of store clothes on a person at church 
would attract so much attention that the 
lervent words of the minister had but little 
efl't'ct upon tlie congregation. The woman 
with a brand new calico dress was gener- 
ally greeted with a coldness by her less 
fortuu;i(e sisters that made her wish that 
she had worn her old dre^s. Many of the 
more nervous people were still timid, 
fearing that the Indians might come back 
and do damage. But, spring came, and it 
was believed that there would be no more 
trouble with them. 

SIGNS OF INDIANS AGAIN. 

Soon, however, signs, showing that 
small parties of Indians were lurking 
around, were frequently met with. Mr. 
Goodner found in a patch of brush not 
far from his house fresh signs where 
apparently several savages bad 
cleared out a space in the 
patch where they could lay concealed and 
watch what was going on around them. 
They had undoubtedly been making bridles 
out of rawhide for clippings and strips of 
untanned hide had been left on the ground 
where they had lain. It was supposed 
that their object was to steal horses, but it 
was believed that thev would not hesitate 
to shoot a white person whenever they 
could safely do so. Several pf rsons had 
been shot at by unseen foes, and a few 
killed or wounded in the Big Woods to the 
south. Great uneasiness was felt by the 
people. The men mostly went armed and 
the women were careful about keeping the 
doors fastened. Finally the State organ- 
ized a 

CX5MPANY OF SCOUTS 
and about three were detailed to each town 
for the purpose of patroling the town, and 
to be ready to concentrate at any threat- 
ened point. These scouts were of great 
benefit in allaying the fears of the citizens. 
They were alert, and investigated many 
alarms and scares, which often proved 



groundless, but which occasionally clearly 
indicated that Indians were around. If a 
man found himself in the vicinity of In- 
dians, or had any reason to believe that 
there was danger of his coming in contact 
with them, when he was unarmed, it was 
considered wise and proper to seek safety 
with all possible speed. 

AN AMUSING INCIDENT. 
One instance of a causeless panic oc- 
curred when David Goodner and M. V. 
Greely went after wild plums. They en- 
tered a larjic plum thicket from opposite 
sides at the same time. Each heard the oth- 
er, and by stooping down and looking under 
the brush they could see the legs of the 
other, and the two front and two hind feet 
of their horses They could not see high 
enough to see the bodies of the men or 
hornes. In their excitement, each mis- 
took the other party for at least three In- 
dians, and both sprang upon their horses 
and rode for their lives in opposite direc- 
tions, and spread the news that they had 
seen Indians. Of course there was but 
little sleep in the neighborhood that 
night. Guns were carefully loaded and 
ammunition brought out and all precau- 
tions taken to guard against any raid the 
Indians mitrht make. A careful investi- 
gation the next morning revealed the true 
facts in the case. Every few days some 
such an alarm would be given in some 
part of the town. Many, upon investiga- 
tion, proved groundless. Olhers would 
show that Indians were around and the 
settlers (lid not know at what moment tiiey 
might be tiie victim of a crafty foe that 
was al)le to lay in wait for days to get a 
shot at a white man. 

LITTLE crow's LAST DITCH. 
A large body of troops had driven the 
main body of Indians back into the Bad 
Lands of the Dakota? the fall before, but 
Little Crow, a celebrated Sioux chief, his 
son, and a few others had passed through 
the lines and returned to the settlements 
to steal horses, and avenge certain wrongs. 
But the tragic death of Little Crow; the 
narrow escape of his son; the disastrous 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



23 



results to the three Indians that stole 
Block's horsep, as well as the failure of 
those Indians who stole Mr. King's 
horses, hut which they had to relinquish, 
so disheartened them that they soon sought 
sifety among their people on the western 
plains. Little Crow's Fon was soon cap- 
tured on the plains, and brought back by 
Gen. Sibley in the fall of 1863. They 
camppd on the east side of the river, and 
many St. Cloud people visited the tent of 
of Little Crow's son. 

THE DROUTH OP 1863. 

The summer of 1863 will long be re- 
membered for the protracted drouth. 
There was hardly any rain after the 
spring crops were sown until they were 
harvested, consequently the crops were 
light. 

"atwood's school." 

In the winter of 1863-4 E. H. Atwood 
taught 1 term of (-chool in the school house 
in district No. 29, called the Stanly dis- 
trict. The house was a mere shell, and it 
wa^ impossible to keep warm. There was 
no furniture except a desk or two and 
benches to sit on, but the scholars were all 
eager to get an education and stadied hard 
while their feet ached with the cold. They 
could rest their tired eyes occasionally by 
looking out doors, through wide cracks in 
the walls of the builtling. A few of the 
names of those who attmded that school 
were ''D. B.," R iger. Plum and Joseph 
Stanly, Lnellen and John French, two 
daughters, Helen and Mandy, and Herbert, 
son of Dudley French, Fred and Mabel 
Hamilton, and his sister, now Mrs. Al- 
bert Guptil, Bwrtha Scribner, her brother 
Frank Frank, Albert Guptil, Fred Greely, 
and his sister, the late Mrs. E. G. Hick.p, 
Thos. O. Spaulding, Vlrs. Horace Greedy, 
Nellie Kimball, and her brother Gilbert, 
Velora and Lydia Adley, and Otigood, 
their brother, Ada A. Dim, Charles and 
Hattie Wood, Bt-rtha Clark, Martin F. 
Greely, and Alberton Whitney, (whoaft»r- 
wards died in a southern hospital.) There 
were others whose names cannot be recalled 
just now. No one thought when he saw that 



group of boys studying on those poor 
benches, with cold feet, their noses red, and 
lips purple with thecolJ,or when they were 
declaiming their little pieces, or speaking 
their dialogues, at spelling school, that 
whf n they grew up to manhood, tbe clar- 
ion voices of a number of them would be 
heard harranguing the assembled wisdom 
of the State in the Legislative halls, for 
hours at a time on the mighty questions of 
the period, or assiHting by voice and vote 
in enacting laws for the protection of the 
people of the State, against gigantic mon- 
opolies. Nearly all of them have been 
called to fill some responsible public posi- 
tion at some times of their lives, 

A LYCEUM ORGANIZED, 

During the winter there would be a 
spelling school about every two weeks. At 
the close of spelling there would be dia- 
logues and declamations. The improve- 
ment in this line was rapid and at the last 
one held on the 26th of Feb., 1864, the 
ho ise was crowded full and the audience 
became so enthusiastic that it was propos- 
ed then and there to organize a lyceum 
and choose officers. Accordingly J. R.Wat- 
kins was chosen President; J. H. French, 
vice-President; E. H. Atwood, Secretary, 
and D. S. French, Treasurer. They then 
adjourned to meet in the school house 
near where the Baptist church now 
stands, on the 2nd wf March. This 
secotd meeting was very interesting, 
although it was a new thing, 
and but a few were willing to take bold 
and do their part. R. F. Adley, D, B. 
Siandley and E. H. Atwood were appoint- 
ed a <;ommittee to draft a constitution and 
by-lawr* for the government of the lyceum 
and a library. At a regular meeting, 
March 11th, the constitution and by-laws 
were adopted, and the following officers 
were elected: J. R. Watkins, president; 
J, H. French and Alex, Spaulding, vice 
presidents; S. Young, secretary; W. L. 
Heywood, treasurer; R. F. Adley, librari- 
an. The question debated at this meeting 
was: 



24 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIIC 



Rcsolced, That a prohibitory liquor law 
ifl beneficial to the temperance cause. 

The speakerfl in the aflirn ative were 
D. A. Hoyt, E. H. Atwood and A. B. 
Greely; in the negative were S. Young, 
J. R. WatkinB and Alex. Spaulding. 

There was increased interest n3anifeflted 
in the Lyceu<ia during the summer. On 
the 2d of December, 1864, the first num- 
ber of the "Maine Prairie Gem" was pub- 
lished by the members, Mrs. EH. Atwood, 
being editress? It was a fine paper and a 
decided success. Meetings were held every 
two weeks during the winter of 1864-5. 

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION. 

At the meeting of June 16, 1865, it was 
decided to have a big celebration in the 
Farwell grove on the 4th of Inly, and the 
following committees were appointed : 

Committee on Flags and Arrangements 
—0. Farwell, T. O. Spaulding, S. Young, 
D. G. Reefe. 

Committee on Lumber — J. E. Young 
and R. F. Adley. 

Committee on Speakers -A. B. Gree'y 
and R. F'. Adley. 

Committee on Toasts — E. H. Atwood. 

Committee on Water — Joseph Stanley. 

Committee on Ice — R. F. Adley. 

Committee on Guess Cake — Mrs. O. 
Farwell. 

Committee on Tables — Mrs. J. Dam, Mrs. 
O. Farwell, Mrs. S. Young, Mrs. M. Pat- 
ten, Mrs. E. H. Atwood, Miss P. Field. 

Committee on Ring Cake — Mrs . A. B. 
Greely. 

Committee on Post Office — Miss A. Boo- 
bar. 

Committee on Singing — Mrs. Stront, 
Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. Neal, Miss L. Greely, 
Mr. D. A. Roberts, E. H. Atwood, D. S. 
French and A. F. Perkins. 

Committee on Minister's Cake — Mrs. E. 
H. Atwood. 

The celebration on the Fourth was a 
grand aflair. A. B. Currv, of St. Cloud, 
delivered the oration. There was an im- 
mense number of people present not only 
from our own town, but from all the ad- 
joining towns. There was good speaking. 



good mu.sic and a goo 1 dinner. The so- 
ciety cleared about $125. The ring cake 
sold for $10. The guess cake $2 90. The 
lemonade stand cleared $13.50. Post office 
$26.20. But the minister's cake created 
the must interest. It was to be donated to 
the clergyman who received the most 
votes. The votes cost five cents each, and 
any person could vote as many times as he 
wished at that price. There were 928 votes 
cast. The cake brought $46.40. 

The library had 122 volumes that fall. 
A course of five lectures and exhibitions 
were given that winter. The pioceede 
were used to get lumber for a stage and 
curtains and scenery, and to defray ex- 
penses of getting the speakers out there. 
The balance of t!ie money was used to buy 
books for tiie library and pay the librari- 
an. The Lyceum was kept up in first 
class shape for 4 or 5 years. Then on ac- 
count of sickness and other cau8t-8, there 
were but few meetings until the f^II of 
1871, when there was a reviv il of the 
Lyceum. A new constitution and by-laws 
were adopted and there "vas much interest 
taken in the society. A course of lectures 
was arranged and exhibitions were given. 
These exhibitions consisted of a one or two 
act plays, being sometimes a farce, at 
other times a comedy, and at rare inter- 
vals a tragedy was attempted. Besides 
this there would be a paper, the Prairie 
Gem, filled with original productions from 
the members. This would be followed by 
recitations and dialogues. At the next 
meeting there would be a lecture 
followed by mu^ic and a short 
play. A debate would be had 
occasionally. Generally there would be a 
lecture, then in two weeks an exhibition, 
followed in two weeks by a debate. Among 
the lecturers was the Hon. D B Searle, 
then a slim, quiet young man. C. C. An- 
drews gave us a lecture, taking Shakes- 
I)eart.'s Falstafl" as a subject. Several 
other St. Cloud lawyers and ministers lec- 
tured before the society. Many of the best 
members of the society had either moved 
away or passed over the silent river. It 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



25 



was hoped that the yonng and rising gen- 
eration would come forward and fill the 
places of the old an<J feeble and carry on 
the Lyceum with its usual vigor, but for 
various causes it languished and there 
were but few meetines held from the spring 
of 1872 until the spring of 1873 when a 
special meeting was called and it was voted 
to sell the books and fixtures belonging to 
the library at public auction. This was 
very unfortunate. The library contained 
at least 200 volumes and had been very 
largely patronized and been of inestimable 
value to the early settlers by furnibhing 
them the use of such a fine set 
of books, bit according to the vote 
on the 6th of June, 1875, this splendid 
library of about 200 books with book case 
lamps, curtains, lumber, &c., were sold 
and scattered over the town. The amount 
realized was only $40 25. The Lyceum 
was thus broken up never to meet again. 

It was the fond hope of the o'der mem- 
bers of the society that the younger peo- 
ple of th- Prairie, when they had grown 
up, would take hold of the work and car- 
ry the Lyceum along, gradunlly improv- 
ing the work and increasing the library 
and acquiring a love for greater knowl- 
edge. It was with profound sorrow that 
the old members saw the labor of years 
scattered to the winds. 

We trust that the young people of good 
old Maine Prairie who have lately organ- 
ized a literary and debating society will 
take hold of the work and carry it forward 
and build up a magnificent literary socie- 
ty that will be known and honored 
throughout the state. Let it be a vast im- 
provement upon the first one. The labor 
of carrying on the Lyceum in those early 
days was performed under many diflScul- 
ties. The country was new and the people 
poor and scattereil. But with all advan- 
tages that the youth now enj ly of excel- 
lent schools and cheap books, and with 
the assistance of the inanv talented leaders 
in the society, the brilliant future of your 
society is fully assured. 

School district No. 32 of Maine Prairie 



was organized in 1861 and the first teacher 
was Miss Evelyn McKenney. The pres- 
ent school house was built in 1869. The 
present officers are Wm. L. Heywood, di- 
rector; S. Young, treasurer; S. F. Brown, 
clerk. 

The Kimball school district No. 80, was 
organized in 1869 and a school house was 
built in 1870. The first officers were: J.M. 
Kimball, T. J. Wiley and Michael Patten. 
The first teachers were Mary Wiley and 
Belle Wiley. This school house was moved 
into the village of Kimball, and in 1890 
school district No. 147 was organized 
and a house built the same year. 
This last district embraced much of 
the territory of the old district. 
The first otiicers were W. W. Connor, Ed- 
win Baker and Joseph Mason. The first 
teachers were Nellie Kimball, Celia Kim- 
ball and Emma Lytle. 

IN THE DAYS OF 1864. 

At the town meeting in April, 1864, it 
was "voted that & bounty of two (2) cents 
per head for squirrels and five (5) cents 
p r head for gophers be paid by the town. 
Voted that the Justices of the Peace, 
Chairman of Supervisors and Town Clerk 
be authorized to count all squirrels and 
gophers presented to them and give the 
bearer a receipt for them." As no money 
was voted to pay the bounty a special town 
meeting was called in June, and $135 
voted to be raised for that purpose. The 
first year there was paid out in bounties 
for squirrels and gophers the sum of 
$181.30. In April, 1866, it was "voted to 
pay no more bounties for squirrels or 
gophers." 

There were some funny articles written 
at the time about the results of this bounty 
business. It was recjuired that only the 
tails of the animals need be brought to the 
officers to be counted. It was claimed that 
the boys often secured the tails and let the 
stiuirrels go, and that stutnp-tailed squir- 
rels were very plentiful on the Prairie, 
and that as these tailless animals were not 
taolested by the boys they in time became 
very tame and that by certain Darwinian 



26 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



laws of evolution and the survival of the 
fittest, and that while those animals with 
full caudal appendagea were hunted, 
trapped and destroyed, those with little or 
no such a])pendage were free from perse- 
cution, and that as a natural consequence 
of the laws governing; the survival of the 
fittest and of natural selection the tail of 
the scjuirrels under such conditions would 
gradually disappear and in time a race of 
tailless squirrels would take the place of 
those whose caudle appendage had proved 
their ruin. 

In July of this year there was a weekly 
mail route established from St. Cloud to 
Fair Haven by way of Maine Prairie. 
The mail came in from St Cloud Tuesday 
morning and returned the same day. 

Alonzo Spaulding, of Maine Prairie, 
and Christina Langdon, of Clearwater, 
were married July 4, 1864. 

MORE INDIANS AND SOME POLITICS. 

During the summer the Indians had 
been troublesome in parts of the state. A 
raid by a party of Sioux had been made 
near Mankato and several whites were 
killed or wounded, and horses were stolen, 
and a freight train near Breckenridge had 
been attacked and a number kilkd and 
wounded. This caused more or less un- 
easiness, and a fteling of unrest. Politics 
ran high this summer and fall. It was the 
year in which the President was to be 
elected as well as congressmen and mem- 
bers of the legislature. Consequently 
there was great excitement in the politi- 
cal world. Lincoln was a candidate 
for re-election. Ignatius Donnelly was 
a candidate for Congress. Hon. H. C. 
Waite and E. H. At wood were candidates 
for the Stale Legislature. Donnelly's 
course as acting (Tovernor in the absence 
of Governor Ramsey had made him popu- 
lar and when he came to St. Cloud Oct. 
24, 1S64, to make a political speech a large 
delegation froru Maine Prairie came in to 
bear him. The front wagon carried a 
large American Hag and a banner on 
which was inscribed: "Lincoln and Don- 
nelly." 



In the fall, of 1S(J4, while Capt. Thos. 
E. Inman was out hunting, he was shot at 
by another hunter, who mistook him for 
a deer, the ball parsing through his coat 
sleeve. A narrow escape. 

THE BOYS IN BLUE RETURN. 

A supper was given Dec. 26ih, 1864, at 
the Farewell school house, to the returned 
soldiers. There was a large gathering. O. 
Farwell was chosen president of the meet- 
ing, and in an appropriate address gave 
the soldiers a hearty welcome, and tnuch- 
ingly alluded to those of their number 
whom death bad taken while in the ser- 
vice of theircountry. Capt. Inman repli- 
ed in behalf of the soldiers. It was a 
pleasant afi'iir and will long be remember- 
ed by those present. 

RAISING THE TOWn's QUOTA. 

President Lincoln wass calling for more 
troops, and the officers of the town of 
Maine Prairie were endeavoring to asser- 
tain whether the town would be called up- 
on to furnish more volunteers, and if so to 
devise ways and means to fill the town's 
quota. 

Alpheus Maservey, as chairmHii of the 
supervisions, and E. H. Atwod, as town 
clerk, labored diligently to see that jui-- 
tice was secured the town, and that all the 
volunteers from the town were properly 
accreditt'd. Many towns were offering 
from $200 to $225 for volunteers to fill 
their quotas. In pursuance of a petition 
properly signed and delivered, a special 
town meeting was called to meet at the 
Farnell school house Jan 7ih, 1865, to 
see if the voters would vote to raise suffic- 
ient money to hire volunteers to fill the 
town's quota. At this meeting it was vot- 
ed tiiat the 8U[)ervisor8 be authorized to 
raise money for the purpose of hiring vol- 
unteers to fill the town's (juota. Also that 
D. \V. Fowler, D. A. Hoyt and E H. Ai- 
wood act with the supervisors as a com- 
mittee. This committee succeeded in hiring 
six volunteers for a total of $1,450. It 
was also voted that the supervisors be au- 
thorized to issue to all soldiers who had 
served two years, a (own order of the 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



27 



amount of their tax for volunteer money 
now to be raised. The town bonds were 
sold at a discount of 15 cents on the dollar. 

AS TO THE SIX VOLUNTEERS. 

Of the six volunteers that were hired by 
the town, three of them, viz: Alberton 
Whitney, David Goodner and Thomas 
Faione, enlisted in the First Regiment 
Heavy Artillery, Feb. 2d, 1865, and were 
sent to Chattanooga, Tenn. Alberton 
Whitney died at that place April 23d, 
1865. The other three, Albert Guptil, A. 
Clark and J. W. Clark enlisted Feb. 16, 
1865, in Company E, 2d Regiment Caval- 
ry, and were mustered out with the com- 
pany and were dischared that fall with the 
company. 

GREAT CELEBRATION JULY 4, 1865. 

The splendid harvest of 1864, the prom- 
ise of a bountiful yield this year, and 
above all else, the feeling that the long 
and bloody war of the rebellion was about 
over, and the expectation that the boys in 
blue would soon return to their homes, 
caused much joy and happiness among the 
citizens. In their gladness they concluded 
to celebrate the Fourth of July in a man- 
ner befitting the occasion, and as a conse- 
quence of this feeling arrangements were 
made for a monster picnic on the old pic- 
nic grounds, in the Farwell grove, on the 
shore of the beautiful Cornelian Lake. 
Never before or since has the shores of 
that lake seen such a gathering of happy 
people from that and surrounding towns. 
A. B. Curry, of St. Cloud, was the orator 
of the day. The Burbanks and many 
others from St. Cloud were there. Fair 
Haven, Lynden, and many other towns 
had large delegations present. The Maine 
Prairie and Fair Haven Glee Club sang 
the popular war songs of the times. The 
oration was excellent. The orator paid a 
great tribute to those who had left their 
homes and fought in defense of theircoun- 
try, and by their bravery and perserver- 
ance had saved the country from anarchy 
and ruin. Few eyes were dry when he 
feeliimiy alluded to those that had given 
up their lives in defense of their coun- 



try. Some of the soldiers were present. 
Some of them had experienced all of the 
horrors of prison life in Andersonville, 
Libby, and other prisons, while others 
had been disabled from wounds. The 
happiness of the people seemed complete. 
It was a great relief to the people, when, 
after years of anxiety from short crops, 
from hard times, from Indian depreda- 
tions, from doubts and fears regarding the 
safety of the country during the rebellion, 
and from the thoughts of the loved onee 
on Southern battle fields, that now, these 
was, every prospect that all ot three 
causes either had disappeared, or soon 
would, and the future seemed to give 
promise of peace, plenty and happiness. 

With the hardships and privations of 
early pioneer life forgotten, and with 
bright anticipations of a glorious future, 
the citizens of Maine Prairie started out 
anew for a higher realigation of life. 

This ends the present early history of 
Maine Prairie. We humbly ask the 
reader to be lenient and overlook its many 
imperfections. 

KIMBALL, MAINE PRAIRIE. 

Kimball is a thriving village in the 
southern part of the towH with a present 
(1895) population of about 500. In 1886, 
the first houses were built in the townsite, 
and in 1891 the village was incorporated 
and G. R. 'Jalkins, G. W. Beckman, J. 
W. Kennedy and E. Peck were elected the 
first officers. The "Soo" rail road runs 
past the town. There is a rich and fertile 
territory on all sides of the village, and 
the farmers find a good market for their 
produce at this point. 

The M. E. Church of Kimball was organ- 
ized in 1888, and the tiouae built the same 
year. The first trustees were F. Driver, 
J. M. Kennedy and A. Spaulding. The 
first ministers were J. Kindred and W. 
Wilson. 

The School District was organized in 
1887 and a fine school house was built, 40 
70 by feet. The first officers were E. May- 
hew, J. B. MoCann and E. A. Westcott, 
and the first teacher was Miss J. Leayton. 



28 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



The present teacherp are D. W. Spauld- 
ing and Mrs. E. Bullivant. 

BIOGRAPHIES. 

Following the historical portion of what 
has been written of the town, I will 
give short biographical sketches of some 
of its early pioneers, and those who have 
been more or less intimately connected 
with its history. 

The liven of the men who establish and 
found a nation, or discover and settle a 
new country, and build up its communi- 
ties, ever form an integral part of the his- 
tory 01 the same. To the early pioneers 
of the town of Maine Prairie, the present 
generation of its people, and thotie which 
will follow, owe much. Anything con- 
nected with their lives must be of great 
interest, and, therefore, I have deemed it 
appropriate to append to the history of 
the "Prairie" brief biographical sketches 
of "the first settlers." 

AKKIVALS IN 1856. 
R. F. ADLEY. 

R. F. Adiey was born in Waterford, 
Maine, in 1819. In 1856, accompanied by 
his wife and daughters Lydia, Valora and 
Ella, and son Osgood, he arrived and 
settled on the Prairie, where he remained 
until 1870, when he moved to Otter Tail 
county. He died in 1885. Mr. Adley 
was prominent in the afiairs of town and 
school, holding for a bmg time important 
offices in both. He was chosen captain ol 
the Maine Prairie Guards during the In- 
dian outbreak. He was one of the b-ading 
men who orguuz^d and carried on the 
Lyceum and Library. 

GEORGE CLARK. 

George Clark was born on Cape Cod in 
1814, and came to .Maine Prairie in 1856, 
and took a claim and operated it for about 
fifteen yenrs, when he moved to Otter Tail 
county, where he died in 1884. His fam- 
ily consisted of his wife and son George 
A., and daughters Eliza and Bethie. 

THOMAS CADWEXL. 

Thomas Cadwell was one of Stearns 
county's i)ioneer8, arriving in the county 
in 1855, and settling on his claim in 



Maine Prairie in 1857, with his wife. He 
was born in Madison county. New York, 
in 1832. In October, 1861, he enlisted in 
the 4th regiment, and after serving three 
years re-enlisted and served ten months as 
a veteran. Since returning to Maine 
Prairie at the close of the war, he has 
been engaged in farming ever since, ex- 
cept a short time when acting as a guard 
in the Reformatory. 

F. II. DAM. 

F. H. Dam was born in Enfield, Maine, 
in 1835. He took a claim on Maine 
Prairie, but spent much of his time for a 
number of years working at his trade in 
Minneapolis, afterwards establishing 
himself in business in St. Cloud. Since 
then, he has been so well known through- 
out the county that it is n^edh S'^ to add 
anything regarding his lite. During the 
fort life on Maine Prairie in 1862, his 
coolness, bravery anil knowledge of mili- 
tary tactics, were of inestimable vaUie to 
the .settlers during those p' rilous times. 
He was one of the officers, and drove 
throutrh to St. Paul and promired arms 
and amtiiuniiion for tho.^e in the fort, wht^n 
many brave men shrank from the danger- 
ojs undertaking. 

JOSEPH DAM. 

Joseph Dim was born in Cumberland, 
Maine, in 1830. In 1856, he arrived at 
Maine Prairie. His wife and only 
daughter, Ada A , joined him the next 
year. He took a c'aim joining his brother 
Hurcules, and carried on his farm for 
eight or nine years His wife died and 
he went to Dakota, where he has resided 
ever since. Mr. Dam was a quiet citizen, 
a good neiorhbor, charitable and kind 
hearted. His family were intelligent and 
well educated, and the community keenly 
felt their lo^s when they ujoved away. 
HURCULES DAM. 

Hurcules Dam was born in Newfield, 
Miiine, in 1806, and was one of the very 
fir.st settlers on Maine Prairie, his wife 
being the first white woman on the Piairie. 
His son, F. H., and daughter Z^-lia, ac- 
companied him to his new home. He 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



29 



built the first house and broke the first 
land in the town, and operated his farm 
until 1864, when he moved to St. Cloud. 
Mr. Dam was a man of great 'nfluence for 
good in the community, and his neighbors 
looked up to him for advice and counsel 
in spiritual as well as the more practical 
concerns of life. After the death of his 
wife in ISG-l, he returned to Maine Prairie 
and remained there a number of years, 
living with his daughter, Mrs. C. F. 
Hamilton. He was a leading member 
and deacon of the Baptist church. 

OKLEN FARWELL. 

Orlen Farwell was born in Compton, 
Canada. He moved to Boston, Massachu- 
setts, where he resided fifteen years. In 
1856, he arrived at Maine Prairie, and 
bought one-half interest of Moses Ireland 
in the townsite of Marysviile. Returning 
to Boston, his wife and son, Quartus, ac- 
companied him back to his new home. In 
1858 he was appointed postmaster, being 
the first one in the town. The postofEce 
was established at Marysviile. He served 
as justice of the peace for a number of 
years. 

JOHN FARWELL. 

John Farwell settled in Clearwater in 
1854, and had an interest in the townsite, 
but in 1856 came to Maine Prairie and 
took a claim on the southwest side of Cor- 
nelian lake. He built a house and large 
barn Mr Farwell took an active and 
leading part in town aifairs and was elect- 
ed to several town oflBces. He was born in 
Compton, Canada. 

DUDLEY S FRENCH, 

Among the first to arrive on the Prairie 
and settle was Dudley S. French. H« 
came from New York, where he was born 
and raised. His wife and five children, 
Herbert M., Francis M., Helen, Amanda, 
and Harriett, soon joined him. There was 
no doctor on the Prairie, and as he had 
studied medicine, he began to practice 
Homeopathy, and for a number of years 
was the only physician in the town. 

DAVID FOWLER. 

Diivid W. Fowler was born in New 



Brunswick, in 1825. He came to Maine 
Prairie in 1856, and took a claim. In 
1862 he was married and built the house 
that he has occupied ever since. He has 
held town offices, and has been one of the 
school board for many years. He was one 
of the sergeants of the home guards dur- 
ing the Indian outbreak in 1862, while the 
fort was occupied. 

JOHN H. FRENCH. 

John Hiro French was born in the town 
of Wheeler, New York, in 1828. He was 
one of the first to locate on Maine Prairie, 
in 1856. He assisted in building the first 
house, and in breaking the first land, and 
drove the first team through from Little 
Prairie to Maine Prairie. He had, the 
year previous, bought a claim near Min- 
neapolis, but sold it soon after. The first 
claim he took on the Prairie was ''jumped" 
and he took another one. Mr. French has 
held the office of Supervisor four years, 
and was clerk of his School Board eight 
years. For may years he represented the 
Republican party in county and district 
conventions. His sisters, Almira and 
Marilla settled on the Prairie in 1856. 
Both took and operated claims a number 
of years. 

JOHN P. GUPTILL. 

John P. Guptill was one of the early 
settlers, coming from Maine in 1856. His 
wife and daughters Margaret, Mary ar.d 
Emma, and his sons A.D., Albert, Gilbert 
and Willbert joined him the next year. 
He enlisted is the 4ih Minnesota Regiment 
and died in a Southern hospital. His son 
A. D , has carried on the homestead and 
kept store since he was old enough. He 
was a member of the school board for sev- 
eral years. Albert Guptill enlisted in the 
4th Minnesota Regiment and served about 
one year and was discharged. He re- 
enlisted in 1864, in the 2d Minnesota 
Cavalry, and went out on the frontier as 
patrol guard and served one year. He 
was in several battles. 

AVILLIAM IIEYWOOD. 

William Heywood came from Albion, 
Maine, in 1856, accompanied by his two 



30 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



BODB William L. and Milton. Mr. Hey- 
weod was one of the collectors chosen in 
early times. He also held other impor- 
tant town offices. But in a few years was 
called to abetter land, and peacefully paps- 
ed over the dark river. His son, Wm. L. 
Heywood, continued to operate the farm 
his father had taken. He was born in 
Maine in 1832. He takes a deep interest 
in town and school afi'airs, and has held 
the oflSce of town supervisor and school 
clerk many years. His brocher Milton 
moved to Minneapolis many years ago. 

.lAMKS M. KIMBALL. 

James M. Kimball was born in Sum- 
mcrsett county, Maine, in 1825. In 1846 
he moved to Wisconsin and engaged in the 
lumber business. He came to and settled 
in that part of MHine Prairie 
called Kimball Prairie, in Julv, 
1856, and took up the claim that 
he has resided on ever since. He married 
Miss Margaret Dolan. Mr. Kimball has 
been a successful farmer, attending strict- 
ly to his business, and operating his farm 
in an intelligent manner. His brother-in- 
law, 

JOHN C DOLAN, 

was born in Ireland, in 1831. He lived in 
New Hampshire five years, and also some 
time in Illinoin, and arrived in Kimball 
Prairie in 1858. He was a single man. 
He was an intelligent and successful 
farmer, ownin j; a farm of 400 acres. 

K. M. KIMBALL. 

Fry M. Kimball was Iwrn in Massa- 
chusetts in 1824, and arrived at Maine 
Prairie in 1856, with his wife and son (iil- 
bert and daughter Nellie. He took a 
claim and operated it until 1884, when be 
moved to Minneapolis. He had followed 
the trade of paper maker until he came to 
Minnesota He was elected one of the first 
constables at the time Maine Prairie was 
organized as a separate town. 

EDWIN KIDDKS. 

Edwin Kidder wis born in Maine in 
1829, and took a claim on the Prairie in 
18o6. He enlisted in the 4lh Minnesota 
Regiment in 1861, and served three years. 



He was in many of the fiercest battles of 
the war. Returning to Maine Prairie, he 
cultivated his farm for many years. He 
held prominent town offices nearly all of 
the time, and was a leading memberof the 
Patrons of Husbandry. 

A. F. PERKINS. 

A F. Perkins was born in Enfield, 
Maine, in 1833, and came to Maine Prairie 
in 1856. He took a claim, built a house 
and improved his farm until 1861, when 
he enlisted in the 1st Minnesota Regi- 
ment, and after serving one year was 
transferred to the Ist United States Caval- 
ry. He was in many of the principal en- 
gagements of the war, being engaged in 
forty-two battles and skirmishes. He 
served three years and two months. In 
August, 1864, he was woun 'ed, an 1 in 
January, 1865 was discharged. Return- 
ing home he was married that spring. 
After operating bis farm for 21 years he 
moved to St. Cloud. He was Justice of 
the Peace six years, and he'd other town 
and school offices and was a prominent 
metuber of the Lyceum and Grange. 

DANIEL F. PERKINS. 

Daniel F. Perkins was born in Maine in 
1829, and arrived and took up a claim in 
Maine Prairie in 1856. He enlisted in 
the 4th Regiment in 1861. In 1863, while 
cliartring on the works at Vicksburg he 
was killed. 

DANIEL SPAULDING. 

One of the old and prominent early set- 
tlers of Maine Prairie was Daniel Spauld- 
ing. He was burn in Kennebec county, 
Maine, in 1813, and came to Maim' Prairie 
in 1856. His wife and sons, Alonso, David, 
Thomas atidGeorge, joined him in the fall-, 
He took a claim and lived on it until his 
death, in 1886. His wile survived him three 
years. Mr. Spaulding was deacon of the 
Methodist church anil was the mainstay 
of that church while he lived. 

GEORCE SPAILDINQ. 

Geo. Spaulding was born in Maine in 
1844. He enlisted with his brother in the 
Mounted Rangers and sewed in General 
Sibley's expedition against the Sioux In- 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



3' 



dians id 1862. Since then he bought his 
present farm, and has carried it on for 
many jears. 

THOMAS STRAW. 

In 1856, Thomas Straw bought out Wm. 
Milligan's claim, on Kimball Praiiie, and 
farmed it until 1861, when he enlisted in 
the 4lh Regiment. After the war he re- 
turned to his farm and carried it on until 
bis death. 

MICHAEL L. PATTEN. 

Michael L. Patten was born in Cherry- 
field, Maine, in 1805. He made several 
trips to California, when they had to go 
by team. He arrived in Kimball Prairie 
in 1858, and took a claim. While in 
Maine, be was called out as a soldier to 
guard the northern boundary line against 
an invasion from Canada. He was post- 
master three years from 1867. He spent 
seven years in California, engaged in lum- 
bering and mining. Mrs. Patten was the 
first white woman in that part of the town. 
They kept a hotel for many years. 

A. WADE. 

A. Wade came to Maine Prairie, in 
1856, and took a claim. He was born in 
Waterville, Maine, in 1833. In 1861 he 
enlisted in the 4th Regiment. After serv- 
ing one year he was discharged for dis- 
ability. He was married in 1872. He 
cultivated bis farm until 1892, when he 
moved near Kimball. He persistently re- 
fused to serve in any official capacity, pre- 
ferring a quiet life at home. 
SAMUEL YOUNG. 

Samuel Y<>nng was born in Newport, 
Maine, in 1825. He came to Maine 
Prairie in 1856, and took a claim and has 
farmed it ever si nee He married Miss 
French, October, 1861. He was elected 
one of the first supervisors of Fair Haven, 
and was on the Board three years in Maine 
Prairie and has also been a member of the 
School Board. He has been an intelligent 
and successfull farmer. 

JOSEPH E YOUNG. 
His brother, Joseph E Young, was born 
in Newport, Maine, in 1831, and arrived 



in Maine Prairie, in 1856, and took a 
claim and farmed it until he died in 1870. 

D. A. HOYT. 

In the summer of 1856, D. A. Hoyt ar- 
rived in MainePrairie and located a claim. 
He was born in Aroostic county, Maine, 
in 1829. He was a farmer. He tiled his 
farm and built a house, and in 1859, he 
married the widow of Geo. R.Whitney, of 
Fair Haven. The result of this marriage 
was two sons, Charles W. and F. A. Hoyt. 
In 1867, Mr. Hoyt moved into St. Cloud 
and went into the woods, to lumber and 
returned to his farm, in 1869, and farmed 
it until 1884, when he again moved into 
St. Cloud and engaged in the real estate 
business. He died in 1893. His son, 
Charles W. Hoyt, studied law and is now 
located at Duluth. The other son, F. A. 
Hoyt, studied dentistry and is now prac- 
ticing in St. Cloud. 

A. S GREELY. 

A. S. Greely was born in Palermo, 
Maine, in 1830, came to Maine Prairie in 

1856, and located on a farm. In connec- 
tion with his cousin, A. B. Gretly, he 
operated the first reaping machine, and 
threshing machine, that was run on the 
Prairie, He married Miss Eliza Clark in 

1860. They had three sons and a daugh- 
ter, George, Jacob and Alvin, and Nellie. 

N. I. GREELY. 

N. I. Greely was born in Palermo, 
Maine, in 1833, and arrived in Maine 
Prairie in 1857, and took a claim adjoin- 
ing his brother which he operated until 
his death, in 1892. He was married to 
Mips Mary Wackley in 1866. They had 
one son, Albert, and three daughters, 
Elizabeth, Emma and Alice. 

K F. BROWN. 

S. F. Brown was born in Mapsachusetts 
in 1817, but removed to Rhode Island. 
From there he came to Maine Prairie in 

1857, and took a claim, built a house and 
began farming. He was the first town 
clerk of the town, after it was organized 
as a separate town. He was also elected 
superintendent of common schools. In 

1861, he enlisted in the 4th regiment and 



32 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIKIK. 



rose from the ranks to First Lieutenant 
in command. At the battle of VickRhurg 
he was wounded, and while in hospital 
was delegated on court martial in civil 
and military commission for three months, 
until the close of the war. He began 
studying and practicing medicine in the 
army, and has continued to practice 
homeopathy since his return. He hns had 
a large practice. 

D. A. ROBERTS. 
D. A. Roberts was born in Lyman, 
Maine, in 1830, and arrived in Maine 
Prairie in 1857, with his wife and one son, 
J. 0. He took a claim on the east side of 
Cornelian Lake, and built a house. After- 
wards, in 1861, he built a house ou the 
townsile of Marysville, where he resided 
until 1888, when he moved t<> Minneapo- 
lis. He took an active interest in school 
matters, and was a member of the ecl.ool 
board. 

ALEXANDER SPAULDING. 

Alexander SpauMing was horn it) 
Aroostic county, Maine, in 1839, and 
came to Maine Prairie in 1857, accompa- 
nied by his wife and daughter, Cor^ielia. 
He served the town as assessor for nine 
ynars. He was the first Postmaster, after 
the name had been changed, in 1861, to 
Maine Prairie, and held that office until 
1865. He was orderly sergeant of the 
home guards in 1861. He was one of the 
enumerators that took the cetrsus of the 
town in the years 1870 and 1875. In con- 
nection with op. ruing liis farm, he has 
beeii engaged in carpentering and house- 
building. 

DAVID SPAULDING. 

David Spuilding was Postmaster from 
1865 to 1867. He enlisted in the 4lh regi- 
ment, and remained until ti)e close of the 
war. After several years he moved to 
Colorado. 

WILLARD SPAULDING. 

Willard Spuulding was born in Maine, 
in 1833. He arr'v^'d in the town in 1857, 
but returned to Maine in 1858, where he 
was married, ami in 1862 returned and 
bought a farai, on which he has remaineil 



ever since. He has been a member of the 
town board and also school board of trus- 
tees for many years. 

THOMAS O. SPAULDING. 

Thos. O. Spaulding wasborn in Smyrna, 
Maine, in 1838. In 1862 he enlisted in a 
company of the ruounled rangers, and 
served in the expedition with General 
Sibley when driving the Sioux Indians 
b.'<ck from our state, serving one year. 
Returning home he bfiught a farm and 
has operated it ever since. 

ROGER W. STANLEY. 

R. W. Stanl.y was born in Oltio in 1853. 
He hat* been engatre<l in the commt-rcial 
business on Maine Prairie for a number 
of yeariJ. He attended the < unis Com- 
mercial Jollege in Minneapolis. He has 
filled the ofEcf of Town Treasurer for a 
number of years. 

DAVID p. STANLEY. 

David B. Stanley accompanied his 
parents to Maine Prairie in 1858. He was 
born in Olro in 1845. In 186S he was ap- 
pointed postmaster, and has hehl that po- 
sition ever since, with the exception of 
two years, when Hoyi & VVliitney had it. 
He has been town clerk for nineteen years, 
and in 1890 was one of the enumerators 
ani took the census of the town. He has 
bv-en one of the school board for many 
years, and in 1878 represetited his district 
in the legislature. In 1868 he was mar- 
ried. He has occupied the same house 
ever since 1868. He has been engaged in 
tile mercantile business and is a rejjislered 
pharmacist and dentist. He is a graduate 
ot Bryant & Slratton commercial school, 
St. Paul, and a notary public. 

HKNRY WEIDERT. 

Atnotig the few (Germans who settled in 
Maine Prairie in the fifties, was Henry 
Wejilert, who was born in Luxer.ibiirg, in 
1810. In 1857, he can)e to M line Prairie, 
accomparied by his wife and sons, Pet^r 
and John, and daughters, Susan, Mary 
and Marry Ann. Mary Ann died in 1881, 
Peter is living on his farm in Maine 
Prairie, John is fanning in Benton coiin- 
ly. One of his daughters married Mr. 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



33 



Pent and one married N. Streitz, of St. 
Cloud town. 

ALPHEUS MASKRVEY. 

Alpheus Maservey was born in the town 
of Swanton, Vermont, in 1818. At the 
age of 18, he went to New York, where he 
remained five years. In 1841, he went to 
Illinois, and located near Plainfield. In 
Illinois he engaged in difiVrent occupa- 
tions and spent a year or so operating a 
sawmill in Missouri. He came to Min 
nesota at a very early day, located near 
Dayton, and was one of the very early 
settlers in St. Cloud. In 1858 be located 
on a claim in Maine Prairie, where he re- 
mained until his death. He was chairman 
of the board of supervisors and justice of 
the peace for many years. He was mar- 
ried in Illinois. 

JOHN WHITE. 

J(»hn White was born in Ireland in 1826, 
and came to America in 1848. He was 
employed several years in Rhode Island 
as a clerk in a store. He came to St, 
Cloud in 1858, and that spring married 
Miss Margaret Gorman. In the fall they 
moved on to Maine Prairie and took a 
homestead. The next spring he moved 
onto their homestead and has resided there 
ever since. 

CORRECTION. 

In the biographical sketch of Wm. 
Heywood, a mistake was made wherein it 
was stated: "His son, Wm. L. Heywood, 
continued to operate the farm his father 
had taken." The fact is that Wm. Hey- 
wood, the father, did not tnke a claim, but 
William L., the son, took the claim before 
his father's arrival on the Prairie, and has 
operated his claim ever since. 

E. H. ATWOOD. 

E. H. Atwood was born in Lock port, 
N. Y., in 1829. He attended school at 
the Academic Institution at Wilson, N. 
Y., and taught school one term at Lock- 
port, N. Y. In 1853 he went to Illinois 
and bought a farm near Springfield. He 
was mairied to Miss Augusta Allen, of 
Gualt, Canada, in 1850. While in Illinois 
he taught school winters and carried on 



his farm in the summer. In 1860 he 
moved to Maine Prairie with his wife and 
son, Clarence L. He bought a farm on 
the south shore of Peirl Lake, and car- 
ried it on until 1887, when he rented it 
and moved into St. Cloud. He was a 
breeder of full blooded Poland China 
swine and short-horned cattle. He was an 
active member of the 'Grange and -Lyce- 
um, and was President of the Slate Farm- 
era' Alliance in 1888. He was town clerk 
of his town for many years, and also held 
the offices at difi'erent times of superin- 
tendent of schools for the town, assessor 
and supervisor for several years. 

SAMUEL COSSAIRT. 

Among the late arrivals was Samuel 
Cossairt, who bought the John Farwell 
farm in 1863. He was born in Illinois, in 
1815. His family consisted of Henry, 
Mary, S;irah, Jane, Eliza, Jevry, William 
and Frank. He operated hi-< farm until 
his death in 1886. His son John was born 
in Vermillion county, in 1840, and ar- 
rived in Maine Prairie in 1861. In 1866, 
he moved to Paynesville, but returned to 
the town again in 1887, where he still re- 
sides. 

JOSEPH EATON. 

Joseph Eaton was born in New 
Hampshire in 1815 and arrived in Maine 
Prairie in 1858, with his wife and three 
children, Lydia, Oren and Mary. He 
died in 1887. His wife and daughter 
Mary are in Washington. His son Elmer 
bought the old homestead and still retains 
it. He was one of the officers during the 
Indian troubles in 1862. 

MICHAEL GOODNER. 

Among the later arrivals in the town 
were Michael Goodner, with his wife and 
his sons, David and Henry, and daugh- 
ters Nancy and Ellen. Mr. Goodner was 
born in Kentucky in 1807, living awhile 
in Indiana and Illinois and locating on 
Maine Prairie in 1862, on a farm which 
he had bought in 1859. He was a mem- 
ber of the Disiple Church. 

DAVID GOODNER. 

His son David was born in Illinois in 



34 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



1844. In 1865 heenlieted in Co. E of the 
Ist MinneBota heavy artillery, and remain- 
ed until the close of the war, when he 
bought a farm and followed that iccupa- 
tion since. Jacob Goodner settled in 
Maine Prairie in 1862, on section eight. 
He moved to Kansas in 1877. 

WIIKELER FRENCH. 

Among the later arrivals from New 
York, were Wheeler French with his wife, 
an adopted daughter and son, E. J , also 
his married hop, Almon, with his wife 
and two sons, Wheeler and Luellen. They 
took claims and carried them on until the 
death of Wheeler French. Mr. French 
took great interest in town affair.-? and was 
elected to several responsible town offices. 
His son Almon, together with his son", 
operated the home farm for many years. 
Mr. French was born in Otsego county 
Nfw York, in 1805. 

PERER MORRY. 

Peter Morry was born in England in 
1821, came to St. Paul in 1858, and lo 
Maine Prairie in 1860, and took his pres- 
ent claim, where le has r^-mained ever 
since. His wife and daughter Annie, 
came with him. His son B rt, graduated 
in an Iowa medical college and is rmw 
practicing me<iicine in Utah. 

CHARLES NEAL 

In 1859, Charles Neal arrived in Maine 
Prairie, from Steele county, where he had 
resided two vears. He was born in China, 
Maine, in 1830. He bought 160 acres of 
land, and rented it until his return from 
the war in 1864. He erdisted in the 4th 
Regiment in 1861 and serywl three years 
and was in several severe battles. He 
was always on duty and never was in a 
hospital and never had a furlough. He 
was interested in school matters and was a 
member of ihe School Board. 

TRUMAN L. STICKNEY. 

Among tlie Irfte arrivals who have been 
prominent in the affairs of the town and 
school, T. L. Slickney may be mentioned. 
He was a native of Erie county, N. Y., 
having been born there in 1824. In 1870, 
he arrived in Maine Prairie with his wife 



and four children, Frank, S. G., John and 
daughter Anna, and settled on the farm 
he has since occupied. He has been in- 
strumental in improving the cattle in his 
part of the town by keeping fine bred 
short horns, and inducing his neighbTrsto 
improve their stock. He has held the of- 
fice of supervisor 11 years, and has been a 
member of the District School Board for 
fifteen years. He took a leading part in 
the Patrons of Husbandry. 

B. H. WINSLOW. 

B. H. Winslow was born in Freedom, 
Maine, in 1834. Came to Fair Haven in 
1858, and to Maine Prairie in 1859, and 
with his family, consisting of wife ami one 
daughter, Ann S., settled on his present 
farm. He has tnken an active interest in 
town and schf)ol aff Mrs and held the office 
of supervisor eleven yewr^^, and also served 
on the Scluiol Board. He took a promi- 
nent part in the Patrons of Husbandry, 
and in the Lyceum. He has raised large 
flocks of sheep and many cattle. 

His brother, J. C. Winslow, was born 
in 1836, in Freedom, Maine, and enlisted 
in the 4th Regiment, in 1861, and ferved 
th-ee years. In 1872 he moved west. He 
first settled in Fair Haven in 1857. 

NICHOLAS LOESCII. 

Nicholas Loesch was born in Grand 
Dutchey. in 1829, and came to Superior, 
Minn. In 1856 he went to Rockville, with 
his parents. In 1863 be mnrried Miss 
Annie Mouse and settled in Maine Prairie. 
Mr. Loesch has been a hard wf)rl<ing 
farmer, and by his induptry and inteliitient 
management has made a success in farm- 
ing. 

.lOUN SCIIAKER. 

John Schafer was among the early set- 
tlers. He was born in Prussia in 1837, 
and came to Minneapolis in 1856, and in 
1858, came to Maine Prairie and took the 
claim that he has lived on ever since. His 
father and mother and his two brothers 
William and Nicholas, and h's sistera, 
Susan and Lina, accompanied him to his 
new home. Nicholas located on a claim 
adjoining John's, ami William took a farm 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



35 



near by, but in tbe town of Rockville. 
Nicholas moved away many years ago, and 
William has moved to Cold Spring. Suean 
married Stephen Ethen and Lana married 
Peter Ethen. The father and mother re- 
mained with John until theirdeaths. John 
has made a pucceps of farming and now 
h-iB a fine farm of 640 acres and expects to 
enlarge it foon by buying more land. 

B. U. WATKINS 

Bishop B. U. Watkins was born near 
Carthaae, Ohio, Sept 14th, 1811, and 
moved to Maine Prairie in May, 1862, ac- 
companied bv h 8 wife and sons, William 
and Joseph R , and daus;hters Julia and 
Ida. When but six years old, he was 
stricken with total blindness. A year af- 
ter an operation was performed, which 
partially restored his sig it. Notwith- 
standing his afflicti'in, he persevered in 
his studies and was educated at Woodward 
High School in (incinnati, and became a 
proficient scholar in the <Treek and Latin 
languages. In his fourth decade he was 
invited by the American Bible Union to 
assist in the translation of the New Testa- 
ment, but declined to serve. He was 
among the leading Disciples in that part 
of Ohio and became their minister, and 
was afterwards given the title of Bishop 
by some of his people. At Maine Prairie 
he organized a Disciple church, and held 
regular services for many years. His wife 
died in 1870, and in 1872, he married Mrs. 
Wood, of Ohio. They moved to Cameron, 
Mo., where he died March 15th, 1892. He 
was the author of several books and tran- 
slations from the original Greek and 
Latin. 

T. J. WILEY. 

Among the later arrivals, who were 
prominent in town affairs, was T. J. 
Wiley, who was born in Meigs county, 
Ohio, in 1838. He was brought up on a 
farm, and in 1857 came to Anoka county 
with his parents. When of age he en- 
gaged in lumbering winters and sumn'ers 
at other work. Mr. Wiley ai.d Miss 
Orlinda Frost were married in 1862. In 
1863, they moved to Maine Prairie and 



pre-empted a homestead which he im- 
proved and carried on in connection with 
runnirg a steam thresher and sawing 
lumber winters. la 1880 he move to Fer- 
gus Falls, but returned to St. Cloud in 
1887, where he still resides. 

BENJAMIN BARRETT 

Benjamin Barrett was born in Meigs 
county, Ohio, in 1830. He was brought 
up on a farm. In 1856 he came to Anoka 
county, Minnesota. He married Miss 
Mary H. Wiley and in 1861, they moved 
to Maine Prairie, and located on a farm 
which he cultivated until he sold it in 
1890, when he moved to Excelsior, Min- 
nesota, where he now resides. It 1862, 
he enlisted in the Ist rt-giment of Mounted 
Rangers and operated on the frontiers 
against the Indians. 

ABRAM SHOEMAKER. 

Among the later arrivals on Maine 
Prairie was Abram Shoemaker, who was 
born in Columbiauna county, Ohio, in 
1816, where he spent his youth and 
worked at the cooper trade, but afit-rwards 
became a Millwright. He went to Lake 
county at the age of 22. When 24 years 
of age he was married, but in a year or so 
his wife died. He married for his second 
wife Miss Achsah Waite, and in 1863 
came to Wabasha county, Minnesota. In 
1872 he came to Maine Prairie, with his 
wife, three sons, M. E., C. D. and W. A., 
and two daughters, Mrs. Mason and Mrs. 
Huntoon. He was ordained a minister in 
the Disc'ple church when 25 years old. 
He never attended school, but two months, 
and what education he had was acquired 
at home or in the shop. While working 
at the cooper trade he had a book propped 
open on the bench before him and took 
everypossible opportunity to store his mind 
with useful knowledge, and became a well 
informed man upon many subjects. He 
preached for forty-five years, at the same 
time operating his farm in an intelligent 
manner. In 1886, he quietly passed away, 
gladly welcoming the messenger that was 
to free him from pain and anguish, with 



36 



HISTORY OF MAINE PRAIRIE. 



briglil anticipalioris of a bleHMed liereafler, 
and iiiouriieil by all wlio knew him. 

Tliia tininheB the hinlory of Maine 
Prairie, and the biouraphictil Hketcliea of 
all the early Ht-ttli-rH which ootihi be ob- 
tained. We winli to tliank the oilizenn of 
that town for their kitulneHH and HHHiHtance 
in thiH work. If errorn have occrnrred, 
(and it would l>e BtranKe if there bad not,) 
they were unintentional, for the threat aim 
of the writer wafl to give a true history 
and each person hiit juRt dues. 

KEl'OUT Ol' INDIAN KIOIIT CORRECT. 

The following letter, from Gun. H. 
Beaulivu, Dejuity V. H. Marshal, will ex- 
plain itself ^regarding the Indian light of 
18GU: 



St Paul, Sept. 29. 1895. 
7-;. //. AtwuuJ, Esh., Si. Cloud, Minn. 

Dear Sir: Read your letter of the 17ih 
inBt., and alno one of a previoiH date, rel- 
ative to the Indian light at Maine Pruirie. 

I know all the Indians (Cbi(>pewap) 
who were < ngaged in tlu light referred to, 
but only two or three of them are Btill 
alive. I r ad your account of the flight 
piibliHhed in the St. Cloud Time.s to Me- 
Hha-ke-keahip, one of the IndiatiB engaged 
in the Gght, and who lives at White Earth, 
and he Raid it waB BubBtantially correct. 
When I fee him again, I will t;et all the 
iiameB of the Chippewa participants of the 
tight and his version of it. 
Yours truly, 

Gko. H. Bkauliku, 



History of Fair Haven 



By E. H. ATWOOD. 



FAIR HAVEN TIIK HEAUTIFUL. 

The town of Fair Haven ia Rituated on 
tlie south line of Stearns county. It is 
bordered on the Hoiith hy the (jlearwater 
river, which is cajiable of fiirnishintf suf- 
ficient water power to run a saw and a 
fiourint; mill. The surface of the town is 
Bomewhat undulating, and a large part of 
it, prior to its settlement, waB covered with 
brush and timber. Its soil is very rich 
and fertile, capable of raising the finest of 
crops. Extensive marsh meadowy abound 
throuKhout the town, which produce large 
quantities of excellent hay, while the tiu)- 
ber is valuable for wood, luml)er and 
building material. There; are also many 
beautiful lakes in the town. 

The village of Fair Haven is on the ex- 
treme Bouth line of the town, and ifl beauti- 
fully located. To the Boutheast of the 
village are several beautiful lakes, abound- 
ing in the iinest kinds of (inh. The in- 
numerable bays and i.ulentationH around 
the shores of these lakes ; the green sloping 
banks or wooded sides, make these lakes 
ideal watering places and summer resorts 
for those seeking the invigorating atmoR- 
phere of Minnesota. The village is beau- 
tifully situated on the high banks of the 
Clearwater river. The deep rnnanlic 
valley, the rip|)ling murmur of the stream 
as i» courses its way to the lakes below, 
and on to swell the volume of the Fathwr 



of waters; the (Ivishing of the sunlight 
through the trees upon the distant lakes, 
are scenes that cannot fail to please the 
eye and inspire the behohler with the 
grandeur of nature. From elevated 
points in the village, may be had a (>plen- 
did view of the Hurrounding (country with 
its wooded hills, its deep valieyB and fer- 
tile prairies. The first lake below the 
village was named Caroline, in honor of 
Mrs. Thos. C. Partridge. The next ia a 
small one called Mayhew Lake. The next 
one is named Big Ijake, and is two or three 
mileB long. Above the village on the 
river are three more lakes that are so 
situated in a secluded valley that they 
form a line quiet resort for pleaflure seek- 
ers. Tliey are called Mariah, Munda and 
Lake Mary. Such are the conditions of 
Fair Haven to-day, but there is no record 
of any white rnan having ever been in the 
territory of the present town of Fair 
Haven prior to t 'e year LSfjO. Like 
Maine I'rairie, which town it joiuB, it was 
the disputed hunting ground of the Nioux 
and Chippewa Indians and the many 
relicH that are found in the vicinity, luch 
an human bones, Indian weapons and rude 
fortifications, indicate that many Hanguina- 
ry confli(;ts between hostile tribefl of In- 
dians has trans|>ired in thifl region. 

riKHT DIKCUVKKV OK FAIR IIAVKN. 

Thomas C. Partridge has been termed 



38 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



the Father of Fair Haven. He came frotn 
Ohio to Minnesota in the fall of 1854, and 
built a house in Minneapolis. The next 
spring he bought a farm nine miles north- 
west of that citj and raised large crojia of 
wheat and oats. In the spring of 1856 he 
was joined by the following named per- 
sons from Oliio: Lovinus Abeil, Sylvt^sier 
Woolcutt, Geo. W. Root, Henry Root, H. 
Hill, J. G. Smith and John L. Dean. 
Rumors had reached them of the fertile 
and well matured region to the west of 
Clearwater. His party with a team went up 
the went bank of the Mississippi to dis- 
cover this locality, and, if found desirable, 
would locate there and send lor the'r fam 
ilies and establish a colony of eastern peo- 
ple. Many obstacles and difficulties were 
encountered on their journey, for the 
roads were poor, with no bridges over the 
Bmall streams emptying into the Missis- 
sippi from the west. When they arrived 
at (Clearwater they made inquiries of the 
inhabitants concerning the country to the 
west, and up the Clearwater River, which 
empties into the Mississippi at that place, 
but could learn nothing definite regarding 
the country to the west. They concluded 
to explore for themselves, and started west 
up the Clearwater river. It was slow, 
tedious traveling, and at night they had 
made but seven miles on their journey, 
when they went into camp. 

TAKING THEIR CLAIM8. 

The next morning Partridge, Root and 
Woolcutt, took several dayf' rations and, 
leaving the others in camp, started west 
on foot. They soon came out on what is 
now the Fair Haven prairie, and soon 
after discovered the river, where the pres- 
ent mill is situated They then located 
the present mill site. This was on the 
27th day of May. The rest of the party 
was sent for, and came through the same 
day. They were all delighted with the 
locality. The green prairie, the fine 
wooded banks of river and lakes, the clear 
bracing atmosphere, so pleased them that 
they impatiently awaited the co oing of 
daylight the next morning that they 



might locate their claims. Before night 
of May 28th they had all staked out their 
claims near the present village. Mr. 
Partridge located the town site of Fair 
Haven, and in July Mr. E. O. Haven was 
employed to survey and plat the lownnite. 
Henry Root bjilt the first house on his 
claim near the village during thesunjmer. 
His house was used as a hotel or stopping 
place, where new arrivals could remain 
until they could build a house f'r them- 
selves. Sometimes, it is claimed, that 20 
to 30 persons slept in it at night. The 
men were busy that summer getting sup- 
plies from St. Anthony of food and build- 
ing material and in clearing and breaking 
their land. 

NEW ARRIVALS, 

Some returned to the East after their 
fHmilies, but there were no n^vi arrivals 
until fall. In October, the following per- 
sons were among those that arrived in the 
new settlement. Aaron Scribner and wife, 
Wm. H. Day and wife, Mrs. Lovinus 
Abell and family, consisting of Jane. New- 
ton, Wtstley, John, Laurie and Milton; 
Alonso'i Smith, wife and son Wallace and 
daughter Mary, and E. G. Parsons In 
November, Mrs. T. C. Partridge came 
with her sons, Payson, Cecil, Florus and 
daughter Valona. Mrs. Sylvester Wool- 
cutt and two children also arrived, and 
Joshua Kent and fatnily and Steven C, 
Kent Hiid wife arrive! in June. Still 
later that fall Mr. V. W. Olds arrived. 
Mrs. W. H. Day, one of the above party, 
was ambitious to be the first white woman 
in Fair Haven, and when within six or 
seven miles of that place she hastened for- 
ward, on foot, ahead of the rest of the par- 
ty, hoping to be the first to arrive; but 
when near the end of her journey, she was 
attracted into the brush to pick some ber- 
ries. While thus engaged, Mrs. Aaron 
Scribner, who also had a desire to be the 
first to reach the place, passed Mrs. Day, 
and has the satisfaction of being the first 
irlnte woman in the village of Fair Haven. 
When Mrs. Day arrived she was surprised 
and chagrined to find Mrs, Scribner on 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



39 



the ground before her. When this party 
arrived, there wat but one house finished 
and one partly finished, in the town. The 
newcomers to the number of twenty or 
thirty, slept in Mr. Rwot's house the first 
night. 

TOLD IN AN ADDRESS. 

The following: extract from an address, 
delivered at a picnic at Long lake by a 
Fair Havenite, pertains to the discovery 
of the township: 

"And there came a company of men from 
the Buckeye State, ev^n Ohio, and they 
looked for a water power. And when they 
eaw the mills at Clearwater they said per- 
advenlure we can find a mill site if we 
follow up the Clearwater river. So they 
followed it for the space of ten Sabbath 
days' journey, and found what they sought ; 
and builded a mill. And the place was 
fair to behold, and was a haven of rest for 
the weary. Now, therefore, called they it 
Fair Haven. And th«fre was Thomas the 
Partridge, and Sylvester whose surname 
was Woolcult, and Lov'nus t' e Abell, and 
Alanson the Smith, and many young men. 
And they builded an house and dwelt 
therein at night, but in the day they 
worked on their claims And it came to 
pass, that they had no lumber to build the 
Btairs to the house. So they made a lad- 
der of sticks, wherewith to climb to the 
loft to sleep. And the rool was low, so 
that no man could stand under it, and it 
was so that the first one in the loft laid 
down and rolled under the roof and the 
next one rolled against him and so on till 
all were in the loft, and they filled it full, 
BO that no man could turn over without 
the rest turned over also for they lay spoon 
fashion. And they cut logs and built 
bouses each man for himself, and when 
they had made an end of building they 
brought their wives and children and each 
lived in his own house. And many others 
camefo Fair Haven and dwelt there. James 
the Tucker, and John the Noyesy Man, 
Albertis the carpenter, '^eorge the clever, 
and Uncle John his brother. And they 
were sore distressed for bread, for the mill 



was not yet finished to grind their corn. 
But one, Charles, who is called Dally, had 
a mill to grind corn and they called it a 
"coffee mill" in derision, for it was small. 
When the people had not meal they 
pounded their corn in a morter,and mixed 
it with water, baking it in pans and made 
cakes of it. The cakes called they ban- 
nocks. And they murmered because they 
had to pound their corn and were glad to 
go to the "coffee mill" though it was 
small. And they caught many fish, even 
suckers, and their food was bannock and 
dried suckers. Then Ambrose W., son of 
James the Tucker, took a boat and went 
in search of the little mill, for it grieved 
him to pound corn, and he found the mill 
and got his meal, and when he had made 
an end of his journeyings he told the people 
of Fair Haven that he had discovered 
some other settlers, who had come from 
the great city, the city of churches; and 
that they had settled on the banks of 
Clearwater Lake, aud dwelt there, and 
the land was exceedingly rich and they 
tilled the land and raised wheat and cattle 
and horses And the lake swarmed with 
fine fish, and they caught fish and cooked 
and gave to Ambrose, and he did eat. And 
the name of the head of the family was 
Octavius, and they had many sons and 
daughters. And they were worthy peo- 
ple and of mighty stature, therefore they 
were called Longworths. And when Am- 
brose had made an end of speaking, the 
people cried out with one accord and said: 
'Let us go and see the Longworths, and 
have a good time.' And many people 
gathered there from that day forth, and 
picnics, and sociables, and hurvesl home 
festivals, and tea parties, were held there, 
for they said: 'Do we not always have a 
good time? Yea verily.' Now the rest 
of these chronicles how Fair Haven built 
up and new families came in and old ones 
died out, «nd moved away. Are they not 
written in the memories of the people?" 

BRAVERY OF PIONEER WOMEN. 

An incident occurred in the fall of 1856 
that showed the bravery of these pioneer 



40 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



women. Mr. Stephen C. Kent had taken 
a claim four miles from the villagre and 
built a house and began housekeeping. 
There were but one or two other houses 
within seveial milea. Mr. Kent was com- 
pelled to be absent at times. A large band 
of Indians were camped not far off, and 
during the day time the house would be 
visited by many of these hunters. These 
Indians were hunting deer and in three 
weeks had killed seven hundred. One day 
quite a number of them had gathered in 
and around the house. A huge Indian 
chief was inside the house and saw some 
powder and shot on a shelf and asked Mrs. 
Kent for them, but she told him he couM 
not have them. The Indian paid no at- 
tention to her reply but started to get the 
ammunition. Quick as a flash Mrs. Kent 
seized a loaded gun and took a deadly aim 
at the Indian. The savage was taken by 
surprise, and badly frightened. He 
wheeled and sprang through the door and 
never stopped until out of range of the 
deadly gun. The other Indians laughed 
and hooted at the discomfited warrior flee- 
ing from a white squaw, and then turned 
to Mrs. Kent and shouted: "White squaw 
brave," "brave white squaw," and seemed 
to greatly admire the plucky white 
"iquaw." The Indians after this test of 
her bravery, never molested her and 
seemed to have a great rt-spect for her. 

BUSY WINTER FOR SKTTLERS. 

The winter of 1856-7 was a busy one for 
the pioneers. Houses and stables had to 
be built; supplies of provisions and goods 
had to be hauled from St. Anthony Ma- 
terial for the saw mill and dam wa- hauled 
out of the timber by a crew of men. T. C. 
Partridge, a Free Baptist, conducted re- 
ligious meetings in his big log house, and 
men)bers of other denominations joined in 
the exercises, and nothing was said abnut 
sect. These j)ioneers were an educated 
and intelligent class of people, and had 
come from localities where they had access 
to scicDtific and literary lectures and mag- 
azines, and societies for the moral, social, 
and intellectual development of its mem- 



members. Id their new home with poor 
mail facilities, and their distance from 
large cities they were deprived of many of 
their old time enjoyments, and were con- 
sequently thrown upon their own resources 
to discover something to take the place of 
their lost intellectual plwasures. Soon 

A LITERARY SOCIETY 

was started, and two papers were very 
ably edited by the members. One was 
managed by the lady members, and the 
other by the male members, and read at 
their meetings alternately, followed by de- 
bates, declamations, dialogues and music. 
This society was kept up for many years 
In 1859, they permanently organized their 
society by adopting a constitution and by- 
laws. The following is an account of this 
meeting taken from the secretary's book: 
"Fair Haven, Nov. 24. 1859. 

"Fair Haven Literary Association met 
and organized by appointing officers as 
follows: President, J. C. Boob<r;Vice 
President, V. W. Olds; Secretary, J. W. 
Coats; Treasurer, Ja.Des Jenks; fommii- 
tee, Ambrose Tufker; Editor of A'najo.sac/:, 
A. Motittiomery. 

"The forego ng constitution and by-laws 
were also adopted at this meeting and 
Miss E. Tucker was ajtpointed Editress of 
the Ladies' Budgti. J. W. Coats, secre- 
tary. 

"Naujcs of members of Fwir Haven 
Literary Society: 

"J. C. Boobar.V.W.OIds, B. F. Butler, 
J. 0. Rio*", A. W. Tucker, S. Woolcuit, J. 
L. Dean, J. G. Smith, P. C. Towns^ind, 
G. W. Townsand, VV. C. Tuft, John Dean, 
N. M. Scovill, James Jenks, D. Spaulding, 
D. A. Perkins, A. Montgomery, Wm. 
Rice, T. C. Partridge, A. M. Dur.snd, C. 
A. Robinson, J. W. Coats, J. C. VVinsiow, 
N. Abell." 

This society had many members of su- 
perior intellectual attaituuetits, and their 
meetings were social and literary events, 
seldom equaled in any community. Music 
of a superior order was furnished by its 
members, as well as original essays that 
were interesting and possessed of much 



HISTORY OF FAIK HAVEN. 



41 



intrinsic worth. The old fettlers look 
back with pride to the many meritorious 
literary production that were read at their 
meetingn, and their eyes hindle with en- 
thusiasm when they speak of their "feasts 
of reason," and they wonder why it is that 
the rising generation with all the advan- 
tages for education and learning do not 
seem to enjoy such literary entertain- 
ments. 

A DEBAIINQ SOCIETY. 

The following account of the organiza- 
tion of a young men's debating socitty is 
taken from the secretary's record book. 
There was also a long constitution and by- 
laws and set of rules governing their de- 
portment while debating: 

"Fair Haykn, Oct 15, 1859. 

The young men of Fair Haven met pur- 
suant to call, for the purpose of consider- 
ing the propriety of organizing a debating 
club, the of'ject of which should be the in- 
tellectual and social development of its 
members. The preliminary organization 
was effected by appointing A. W. Tucker, 
|)resident; V. W. Olds, secretary. 

B. F. Butler presented a constitution 
and by-laws for the consideration of the 
mee(ir)g which were unanimously adopted. 
The club then proceeded to elect officers 
for the ensuing week. J, L. Dean was 
chosen president, D. A. Perkins vice pres- 
ident, A. W. Tucker secretary V. W. Olde 
treasurer, P. P. Partridge marshal. 

Names of the members of the young 
men's debating club: A. W. Tucker, B. 
F. Butler, C. A. Robinson, V. W. Olds, 
J. C. Winslow, N. Abell, D. A. Perkins, 
T. J. Woodworth, T. J. R binson, Benj. 
Plummer, G. W. Dean, I. L. Dean, C. 
W. WeKt." 

The club was kept up for some time, 
but many of its most active members 
joined the army to assist in putttinn down 
the rebellion in 1861, and the club ceased 
to exist. 

MRS. SWISSIIELM AND STEPHEN MILLER. 

The following account was given the 
writer by one of the active members of the 
Fair Haven Literary Society, who was 



there and saw and felt the things whereof 
he speaks: 

"There was one thing connected with 
this Lyceum that may perhaps deserve 
more than a passing notice and may be 
of extra interest to St. Cloud readers. 
James Jenks was appointed a committee 
of one to hunt up something new for the 
edification of the society. This was during 
the winter of 1858-9. There had been two 
years of grasshippers; there was no old 
grain; everybody was speculating in town 
lots; wolves and bears were the occupants 
of most paper cities; Mrs. Jane G. Swiss- 
helm's printing outfit had been thrown in- 
to the Mississippi, just below where the 
Normal School now stands; a solemn com- 
pact had been entered into, that the St. 
Cloud Vi'iUor, (Mrs. Swisshelm's paper,) 
should never again allude to the destruc- 
tion of its office, and she had completely 
turned the tables upon her persecutors. 
(Those are her own words.) Mr. Jenks 
was able to grasp the situation and thought 
that a lecture from Mrs. Swisshelm would 
be a drawing card. He succeeded in per- 
suading that lady to go out to Fair 
Haven and lecture before the 
Lvceum. Stephen Miller, a relative 
o( her hii.sband, and afterwards 
Governor of Minnesota, drove the team 
that took the famous controversialist to 
Fair Haven. Standing room was at a 
premium in the little slab shanty that 
served for a lecture room. As there 
seemed to be no other place for them to 
go, Mr. Jenks took them home with him. 
His house consisted of one low room fifteen 
by twentv-four feet. A quilt partition 
strung across the room ten feet from the 
rear end to make a double bed room. Mrs. 
Jenks gave u{) her bed to Mrs. Swisshelm 
and with her baby shared a cot with Mary 
Abby (now Mrs. W. H. Thompson, of St. 
(/loud,) while the future Governor Miller 
slept on the floor with Mr. Jenks, rolled 
up in buffalo robes, with their feet to the 
cook stove, where a rousing fire was kept 
all night. In after life Mrs. Swisshelm is 
said to have declared that she never slept 



42 



HISTORY OF FAIR ll.WI.N. 



more comfortably, although there wan but 
one iuch of baBswood between her bed and 
40 degree« below zito; although Hhe could 
see the stare through the cracks in the 
roof, and although the wolves howled in 
the public square only 6G feet away. It 
was on this occasion that Fair Haven dis- 
covered that Stephen Miller was the best 
stump speaker in the State. 

ARRIVALS IN 1857. 
The winter of 1856-7 had passed, and the 
farmers iiegan clearing, plowing, sowing 
and planting, while at the same time a 
crew of men and teams were busy hauling 
material for the dam and saA mill and 
erecting the mill and building the dam 
across the Clearwater river. In April a 
large party from Ohio arrived and joined 
the new settlement; moat of them took 
claims near the village. Among this p^rty 
were J. W. Coals, A. J. Brockett, Miner 
Sperry, Newton Scovill, Charles Abeli, 
Lucius Belden, Alfred Dean and wife, 
Geo. W. Dean, wife and children, A. 
Montgcinery and wife, Mrs. Alanson 
Smith and son, Wallace, and daughters, 
Elvira and Mary. The arrivals in May 
were John K. Noyes and wife and chil- 
dren, Josephine, Lizzie, Mary, Bernice, 
George, Laura, Julia and Frank. During 
the summer the arrivals in the new settle- 
ment were J. t'. VVinslow, D. A. Perkins, 
Josiah Koyes, A. J. Whitney, Joseph H. 
Lock, wife and family, James Tucker, 
with wife and children, Sarah, Ambrose, 
Eliza, Georgianna and Nellie; Eligah 
Townsend, with wife and s ns, Perry, Geo. 
W., Erwin, Jason, Leonard and daughters, 
Sarah Ann and Almira. 

FIRST DKATII — FIRST MARRIAGE. 

About the only event that occurred to 
m.ir the h!ipi)ines8 of the pioneers this 
spring in their new home was the death 
of Theron Dean, son of Geo. W. Dean, 
whose death was caused by an attack of 
measles. The family had arrived that 
spring from Ohio, and this loss was keenly 
felt by the entire community. This was 
the 6rst deaih in the new settlement. 
Henry Root and Miss Aurilla Dean were 



joined in the holy bonds of matrimony 
this year, being the firnt marriage in Fair 
Haven, according to the authority of Elder 
Partridge, who performed the ceremony. 
The village was growing and many new 
houses were being erected. 

MKRCANTILK VENTURES. 

Charles Abell put in a general stock of 
merchandise during the summer and 
opened a store. In the fall T. C. Partridge 
Mnd Hazzard started a clothing stor*-; and 
J. K. Noyes erected a large log building, 
which he used as a hotel until he finished 
his large Octagon hotel. 

FINANCIAL UEPRKSSION— GRASSHOPPERS. 

The year of 1857 will long be remem- 
bered as the year of the great financial 
cra'-h that prostrated the business of the 
country and ruined so many people. The 
pioneers keenlv felt the depression, .Mnd to 
add to their hardships, the grasslioppers 
made their appearance, just as their fields 
were golden with ripened wheat and oats. 
Strenuous efibrts were made to protect the 
grain, but in vain. They were forced to 
stand and see the fruit of their summer's 
labor, the crop on which so much toil had 
been expended and on which was centered 
all their hopes of sustenance during the 
rigor of a Minnesota winter, consumed by 
those insatiable insects, that stopped not 
when the fields were ravisiied and laid 
bare, but then attacked the gardetis. The 
hungry swarm devoured all the vegetables, 
saving a few a patches here and there that 
were partially saved. 

DISTRESSING SITUATION. 

The situation of the pioneers, with their 
winter's supply of food destroyed, and none 
to be had this side of St. Anthony, 05 
miles away, was indeed a distr- ssing one. 
Add to this the fact that corn cost the ex- 
horbitanl sum o( two dollars per bushel, 
and the settlers had little or no money to 
buy with, having nearly exhausted their 
means in improving their homec and pur- 
chasing supplies of food an<l clothing and 
other necessaries, and the eituniion as- 
sumes an aspect calculated to make the 
stoutest heart quail. But these early 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



43 



pioneers of Fair Haven were not so easily 
discouraged. They were full of hope for 
the future, and began to prepare for the 
coming winter with undaunted courage. 
The few bushels of poor wheat were taken 
in a boat to a small mill at the foot of the 
lake, where it was converted into cracked 
wheat. In order to eke out the scanty 
supply of corn and potatoes that they were 
able to procure, large quantities of fish 
were caught in the neighboring lakes and 
streams, and were salted and dried. At 
certain times of the year, when the fish 
were running up the streams to spawn, 
wagon loads of suckers could be caught in 
a single night. Theoe fish are excellent 
when caught in the early spring. Besides 
suckers there were large quantities of 
pike, pickerel, bass, sunfish and other 
kinds found in the lakes and streams near 
the village. As there were plenty of deer, 
bear and other wild animals, their meat 
was used as food. In Fair Haven, as well as 
in the town of Maine Prairie, the old in- 
habitants pay that wheat flour was a lux- 
ury that but few, if any, could indulge in 
that winter. In Maine Prairie, it is 
learned from a reliable source, that but 
one family had any wheat flour in the 
house that winter, and this family had 
only a pail lull, which they kept all 
winter, just to say that they were not out 
of flour. Many families were reduced to 
live on potatoes and salt or corn meal, at 
times being unable to procure both articles 
of food at the same time. But, notwith- 
standing their privations, these people 
were healthy, hearty and joUv, and in 
conversation with them now, they enjoy 
telling of their privations and the many 
schemes used to get a little corn meal, or 
a few potatoes and salt. Sugar, tea, cofTee 
and store tobacco were luxuries that but 
f«w could indulge in. 

An amusing story is told of a widow 
with a large family of children, who found 
that her last pound of corn meal was gone 
and the children were huntjry and only a 
few potatoes remained in the cellar. The 
situation was desperate and something 



must be done and that quickly. "With the 
skill that great emergencies beget in 
woman quite as well as in man, this widow 
rose to the occasion. By a brilliant and 
unique commercial transaction, the de- 
tails of which she has never been able to 
explain, only that it was a fair and 
honorable deal, she became the 
possessor of a sack of corn, 
and hastened her eldest son in a boat with 
the precious charge ofl'to the little mill at 
the foot of the lake, to get it ground, so 
that they could have some corn bread. 
During his absence the children appeased 
their hunger with roast potatoes and salt. 
About the time that the son should be re- 
turning and would be upon the lake, a 
terrible storm arose, and it was feared that 
the boat would be swamped and the boy 
drowned. Extreme pangs of hunger seems 
to deaden the natural afl^ections, for 'tis 
said that the widow paced her room wring- 
ing her hands in great distress and burst 
forth with the exclamation: "0, dear, 
what will we do for supper if the boy is 
drowned and the meal lost." But strong 
men had gone to the assistance of the lad, 
and soon had him and the precious corn 
meal at home in safety, and the children 
had their fill of Johnny cake. 

Early in the spring it was learned that 
the Legislature had made an appropria- 
tion to assist the grasshopper sufferers, 
and Mr. L. Belden volunteered t© go to 
St. Paul with his ox team and procure 
aid from this appropriation. He had no 
money to pay his way, but the people 
on the way were very hospitable and 
kept him and his team without pay. 
When he arrived at Minneapolis he 
learned that the State appropriation had 
been exhausted, but when he told his 
story to the business men of Minneapolis, 
with their proverbial generosity and pub- 
lic spirit, contributed a quantity of pro- 
visions, consisting of elevtn barrels of 
flour, two sacks of beans, a quantity of 
beef and pork, garden seeds and some 
other things. Mr. Belden hauled one 
load with his team and shipped the bal- 



44 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVI£N. 



»nce by boat to Clearwater. At that time 
a steam boat made regular tripR from 
Minneapolis t« St. Cloud. When Mr. 
Belden reached Fair Haven, a team was 
sent to Clearwater for the provision that 
come up on the boat. The settlers were 
overjoyed upon the arrival of the much 
needed supplies, which were distributed 
among the more needy ones. These early 
settlers have always remembered the kind- 
ness of the Minneapolis business men and 
cherish a warm feeling toward that city. 

ARRIVALS IN 1858. 

The following are among the arrivals 
this year: Stinson Lovejoy and wile, 
Frank Crane, John Metcafl", B. H. Wins- 
low and wife and daughter, Ann S., Mich- 
ael Patten and family, Mrs. Geo. R.Whit- 
ney and family, consisting of Mary A., Al- 
berton, Geo. R , Horace and F. H., J. C. 
Boobar, wife and large family, consisting 
of Anna M., Druzilla, Lucy, Henry, Al- 
thea, Geo. Rosco, Charlotte, Harritt C, 
Hannah W., James Elmer, James Jenks 
and wif' , 0. D. Webb and family, con- 
sisting ol wife and daughters, Alma, Ella 
and Emma. 

It wac a difficult task for the settlers to 
procure sufficient seed wheat, oats, corn 
and g:irden seeds to plant their fields and 
gardens, tliis spring, and at thesa ne time 
keep themselves supplied with food, to 
sustain them until the new crop came in 
In order to get these needed supplies, 
money had to be borrowed for which 
they were charged from two to five per 
cent per month interest. This shows 
that the modern Shylock, who charges ten 
per cent, interest per annum and two per 
cent, bonus for loans, is not "in it," when 
compared with those who throve on the 
misfortUBes of others, 37 years ago. The 
rich Sf tilers had spent all of their moLey, 
and were but little better oft' than the 
poor. Supplies of all kinds were scarce 
and hard to obtain. Corn cost two dollars 
per bushel with freight added, an 1 other 
provisions were proportionally dear. Not- 
withstanding the hard times, short ra- 
tions, and old clothes, these pioneers were 



cheerful and the boys and girls had their 
fun. There was marrying and giving in 
marriage, and parties and balls, dancing 
schools and prayer meetings, followed 
each other in rapid succession. 

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION. 

On the Fourth of July, 1858, the Fair 
Havenites had their first celebration. 
Tables were set in the public square, 
where all ate together. Although the times 
were hard and the bill of fare not elabor- 
ate, this particular day is remembered as 
one of the pleasant epochs of that period. 
The time was passed with speeches and 
plenty of music by the Glee Club. J. W. 
Coats anil A. Montg(>mery composed an 
original song, with words and tune in per- 
fect harmony, which they sang to the 
jjreat delight of their audience. It whs 
the event of the day, and a few lines of 
this song are still hummed by soKie of the 
oldest settlers. The song portrayed many 
of their hardships in a comical manner, 
and also hit oft in a witty and amusing 
style many of the people and incidents 
connected with the times. 

MARRIAGE AND CHARIVARI. 

The following incident is related by a 
Fair Havenite, who was a young s irl at 
the time, and who distinctly remembers 
all about it: In July of this year John L. 
Dean and Sarah Tucker were to beqniptly 
married. Great pains had been taken to 
guard the secret of the intended ceremony 
and let only the two families of the con- 
tracting parties know of the affair, and it 
was thought that all their friends were 
wholly igtiorant of the prospective event. 
It was in the evening after prayer meet- 
ing that the minister (juietly 8te|)ped into 
Mr. Tucker's house and performed the 
ceremony that made them man and wife. 
It was supposed that only those present 
knew of the wedding. But the small boys 
of that period were sharp as a modern 
newspaper reporter. They soon <iiscov- 
ered that the window shade of a window 
opening into the main room of the Tucker 
house was not quite down, leaving a two 
inch space where the boys could view the 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



45 



whole ceremony and hear what waB said. 
It is claimed that the hov who first dis- 
covered the view of vantage was a fair 
minded youth, and was not exorbitant in 
his charges to the other iadn for an occa- 
sional glimpse at the proceedings through 
the narrow opening. As soon as the cere- 
mony was over the yonng men an*) boys 
decided to give the couple a j/rand chari- 
va»i. As soon as "tired nature's sweet 
restorer" had claimed each and all the 
happy participants, and the calm of mid- 
night's holy hour was over all the peace- 
ful settlement, t'e stillness of the night 
was sharplv and rud>-ly broken by the re- 
ports of many guns a ceo tn pa ruled by the 
ringing of bells and the wild whoops 
and yells of the sf renaders 

As there had been some uneasiness felt 
by the citizens on account of some move- 
menls of the Indians, the startled inhabit- 
ants, when they heard the firing, accom- 
panied by whoops, in which the levelers 
endeavored to imitate the war whoop of 
the savagcf, together with some Indian 
jargon, thought that surely the Indians 
had attacked the town and were murdering 
and torturing the people. The alarm was 
universal and many fled into the brush, 
in their haste with only their nightclothes 
on. Others prepared to get into boats and 
row out into the lake. But theserenaders 
soon learned that the people were fright- 
ened and fleeing. They thereupon hast- 
ened to let the facts in the case be known. 
One badly frightened mother aroused her 
large family, and although the frightful 
din was gradually approaching her house, 
and the children were wild with fear and 
were anxious to flee into the brush and 
hide, yet she restrained them for she had 
been brought up in the east and had been 
taught that the rules of pr®priety should 
be observed under all conditions, and she 
insisted that the children should have 
their faces washed and esi)ecially her 
young girl, should have her hair .combed 
and be properly dressed before seeking 
safety in (light. It \>* safe to say that this 



particular wedding will long be remem- 
bered. 

INDIANS. 

Later in the season a large encampment 
of Sioux hunters with their families 
pitched their tents about a mile north 
of the village. They had been very suc- 
cessful in their hunts and had slain large 
numbers of deer, bear and othei game. 
But one day, without any apparent cause 
(unless they had seen signs of their dead- 
ly foes, the Ch'ppewas') they hastily and 
in much confusion took down ttieir tents 
and hurried across the river south-east of 
the town to a spot near lake Sylvia where 
they fortified themselves by building 
breastworks of logs. Soon after this they 
went off^ to the south and were seen no 
more that season. 

FIRST POST OFFICE. 

A Post office was established this year 
at Fair Haven and John K. Noyes was 
appointed postmaster, being the first one 
in the town. 

TOWN ORGANIZED 1S59. 

"The town of Fair Haven was organized 
ized this spring as a separate town, and 
the first town meeting was held pursuant 
to an order of the Board of County Com- 
missioners, which order stated that said 
town meeting was to be held April 5, 1859. 
Accordingly a meeting was called to meet 
at that time. 

MINUTES OF FIRST TOWN MEETING. 

At the town meeting held at Fair Haven, 
April 5, 1859, T. C. Partridge was chosen 
temporary chairman. The voters then 
proceeded to elect officers for the day, and 
Mr. Calvin J. Boobar was chosen moder- 
ator, and Albertis Montgomery clerk, and, 
being sworn into office, Messrs. Samuel 
Young, M. L. Patten and N. J. Robinson 
were choaeii judges of election. The polls 
were ojjened, and the electors then pro- 
ceeded to vote for officers Voted to ad- 
journ at twelve .ind meet again at one. At 
I lie proper time the moderator declared 
the polls closed, and the judges proceeded 
to canvass the vole*, and declared the fol- 



46 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



lowing perBons elected: Chairman of Su- 
pervipors, Alberlifl Montgomery; 2d Su- 
pervinor, T. (\ Partridge; 3ii Supervisor, 
S. Young; Clrfrk, James Jfuks; Aaaeesor, 
J H. Locke; Collector, Wm. Heyw(od; 
Overseer of the Poor, H. H. Mayo; Con- 
Btables, G. A. Bibber and Sumner Leavitt; 
Justices of tbe Peace, H. P. Bennt-tt ard 
C. J. Bonbar. J. P. Taylor and Jobn U.K. 
Noyes were chosen overseers of highways; 
J. K. Noves, pound master. The electors 
then voted to raise a tax of fifty dollars for 
township purposes. Voted to meet at J 
P. Taylor's for the next meeting of ih** 
towu. On motion adjourned. 

Albertis Montgomery, Clerk." 
Forty-four voted at this meeting. 

EVENTS IN 1859. 

There wt re but fev arrivals in Fair 
Haven during 1859, but there was increased 
activity in the new seitlemeul. The tine 
water power was capable of running more 
machinery than one saw mill. O. D. 
Webb began the erection of a flouring 
mill. >[ic.h a mill was greatly need«d,for 
there whs no place near where the farmers 
could get their wheat ground into flour, 
and the completion of this mill was hailed 
with great rejoicing. 

Among the arrivals this year was O. S. 
Senter, a Congregational minister. He 
married Mrs. Stevenson, a widow, daugh- 
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Abel Kent. The wife 
died in about a year and Mr. Senter went 
to California. 

In 1859, there was a large band of Sioux, 
said to number 100 warriors, with 200 
equaws and young Indians, encamped 
northwest of Fair Haven, huntinii game. 
Deer were very plentiful, and it was said 
that these Indians killed immense num- 
bers while thus encamped. They were 
peaceably inclined, still, with that number 
of Indians so near, and with the knowledge 
that their friendship did not emanate from 
the heart, and that in their inmost souls 
ihey hated the whites, there was a feeling 
of uneasiness, especially among the women 
who had read of the treachery and cruelty 
of these savages. 



The St. Clouil Democrat of March 24, 
1859, had this Fair Haven item: "School 
District No. 1 was organized March 14, 
1859, by electing C. J. Boohar, A. C. 
Smith and A. Montgomery trur<tee-» and 
James Jenks District Clerk." 

BANNER REPUBLICAN TOWN. 

Fair Haven was considered the banner 
Republican town of Stearns county. The 
number of Democratic votes usually cast 
at elections was i^uite small, and at one 
general election it is claimed that there 
was not a Democratic vote cast. There 
was great rejoicing when it was known 
that Abraham Lincoln was nominated, and 
much interest was manifested throughout 
the campaign. Their feelings reached a 
high pitch of enthusiasm when he was 
elected President, and they showed their 
joy by kindling huge bonfires, and with 
speeches and songs expressed their happi- 
ness at tile result of the election. 

EVENTS IN 1860. 

The condition of the settlers began to 
improve in many respects. The crops this 
year were good and there was plenty to 
eat of such as could be raised in this lo- 
cality. But thp prices that they could ob- 
tain for such produce as they had raised 
was very small. It took about fifteen 
bushels of wheat to buy a barrel of salt, 
and such luxuries as sugar, tea, coflee and 
store tobacco, were left for visitors, only in 
many homes. Browned peas and barlev, 
as well as browned crusts of bread 
were used as a substitute for coffee by a 
large majority of the familiew. One would 
naturally suppose that under such condi- 
tions of privation the people would be 
downcast and gloomy. But such was not 
the case. All looked forward to a bright 
and glorious future. Hope, the well- 
spring of life, was largely developed in 
the hearts of these pioneers. These pri- 
vations were considered only tempoiary, 
and would, in the near future, pass away. 
Ill the meanwhile their time was occupied 
in developing the country and improving 
their farms. In the winter the literary 
feasts of their Lyceum were greatly en- 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



47 



joyed, ae well as their church festivals, 
donations and s cial meetings. Thus passed 
the winter of 1860-1. 

PATRIOTISM IN FAIR HAVEN. 

The citizens of Fair Haven did not lack 
in patriotism, and when the war of the re- 
bellion broke out they propose! to do their 
P'rt toward putting it down. They held 
meetings and discussed the question, and 
many pignifi>-d their desire to enlist should 
the war continue. A« soon as the harvest 
was over, and the President had called for 
more troops, a number volunteered. Tht 
following are among those that enlisted at 
difF-rent times: In the First Minnesota 
Regiment, Perry C. Townsand, Geo. W. 
Townsnnd, R M. E<stman. John Abell, 
D. A. Perkins, G. Sias and Jerome Bald- 
win. The latter died Aug. 11th, 1864, at 
David's Island, New York Harbor. 
Charles Robinson enlisted in the Second 
Minnesota Rejjiment, and Ambrose W. 
Tucker in the Third. In October, 1861, 
tile following enlisted from Fair Haven: 
In Company D, Fourth Minnesota Regi- 
ment, with Thomas E. Inman as Cajitain, 
B. F. Butler, A. J. Whitney, W. C. Tufts, 
Milo M. Scoville,Thadeus I Robinson, H. 
Boohar, Ruben Wheeler, Benjamin i'lum- 
mer, and Newton A. Abell. S. ('. and 
Albert Kemp and Jerome Pratt enlisted in 
Hatche's Battalion. John B Inman 
joined the First Regiment of Heavy Ar- 
tillery in February, 1865. 

In 1863, A. Farnsworth, B. F. Butler, 
A. W. Tucker, James Robinson, L. H. 
Brown, Elder Norris and John L Dean 
joined the State'-* scouts. Of the volun- 
teers of Company D, Fourth Minnesota 
Regiment, the following met death be- 
neath a strange sky and on unknown soil: 
Thadeus I. Robinson, at Vicksburg, Mis- 
sissippi, July 24, 1863; H. C. Boobar, at 
Clear 're-k. Miss.. Aug. 18, 1862; Milo 
M. Scnville, at Farmington, Miss , July 
5, 1862. With si) many young men absent 
fighting for their country, and exposed to 
t'le perils of war in battles and sickness in 
pestilential southern swamps, the citizens 
of Fair Haven had little cause for joy and 



many of their literary and social events 
were given up. There were many whose 
thoughts and aflTections were with the loved 
ones on southern fields, so that the year 
1861 passed without particular incident at 
home. 

SIOUX OUTBREAK OF 1862. 

As a large number of the young men of 
Fair Haven had enlisted for the war and 
had gone south in the summer and fall of 
1861, to fight for their country, there were 
few if any of the people of that town but 
had some one near and dear to them in the 
army. It was either father, brother, 
sweetheart, relative or friend, and very 
few if any were indifferent to the results of 
the mighty conflict that was raging on 
southern battle fields. Both the northern 
and southern forces had, during the winter 
of 1861, made gigantic preparations for 
the campaign of 1862, and great anxiety 
was felt for the loved ones that were to en- 
gage in the fierce battles so soon to be 
fought. The spring of 1862 found the citi- 
zens of Fair Haven like those in thousands 
of other hamlets throughout the northern 
states, in an anxious mood. But, with 
silent prayers for the safety of the rela- 
tives and friends in far away camps, they 
worked on farms, in shops and in factories, 
hoping that the war would soon be over 
and peace again reign. This was their 
condition in August. Everything was 
quiet at home, and all were engaged in se- 
curing a most bountiful crop of all kinds 
of grain and other farm produce, when, 
like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, the 
news came of the massacre of the whites 
and the battle between the Sioux Indians 
and the soldiers on the Minnesota river. 
For a short time this news occasioned 
much excitement and confusion. Very 
i-oon large numbers of refugees who had 
been driven from their peaceful homes on 
the frontier beyond the Big Woods, fleeing 
for their lives, began passing through the 
village on their way to a place of safety, 
bringing with them daily and hourly, ad- 
ditional tal"8 of the fiendish cruelties and 
horrible atrocities perpetrated upon the 



48 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



helpleBB frontier Betllers by the blood 
thirsty flavages. Every succeeding hour 
broujjnt uewB of the rapid advance and 
near approach of the ImiianH. It waHtime 
that Homething should be done fortlie safe- 
ty of the inhaJ)itants. A rneetiiig was called 
and the situation was thoroughly discussed. 
It was shown that the village was so sur- 
ronnded by brush and timber that the In- 
dians could approach unseen and surprise 
the town, and that on account of this, and 
the many ravines in which the foe cou d 
secrete themselves, it would be difficult for 
the settlers to so (orlify themselves in their 
exposed situation, taking into considera- 
tion the small number of men, as to jus- 
tify them in allowing the women and chil- 
dren to remain. After carefully copfider- 
ing the mniler, it was decided to send the 
women and children to a place of sifety, 
while the men would remain and ifdeemed 
necessary they would build a fort and de- 
fend themselves. 

BUILIJ A STOCKADE. 

Accordingly some of the women went to 
Clearwater and some to St. Cloud, while 
others joined their forlur.es with the peo- 
ple of Maine Prairie. About fifteen men 
stayed and fortified themselves by build- 
ing a stockade around the old log building 
that had been used as a hotel in the early 
days of thn village. Those that remained 
armed themselves as best they could and 
made the best preparations for a defense 
possible. They organized by electing A. 
Montgomery captain, and V. W. Olds 
lieutenant. But before they had built 
their fort a messenger had been sent from 
Forest City, on the li)th day of August, 
with the information that that town was 
in great danger of being attacked by the 
Indians, and asking the people of Fair 
Haven to come to its assistance. Although 
there was cause to fear that their own 
town might be attacked while they were 
absent, and the danger while going 
through the timber was thought to be im- 
minent, this did not deter them from the 
undertaking. About a dozen men started 
in the evening in wagons for Forest City. 



It soon became so dark in the timber that 
they could not see to follow the road, and 
notwithstanding the fact that a litrh 
would increase their danger by giving the 
Indians the advantage if there should he 
any lurking around, they were compelled 
to light their lanterns and carry them 
ahead of the teams. They arrived at 
Kingston at day light and found the citi- 
zens of that place very much excited and 
greatly alarmed. There were three or 
four hundred refugees that had come in 
from the surrounding country. They were 
quartered in the grist mill and other 
buildings. The little band from F'air 
Haven here joined (^apt. Ad kins' coinp! ny 
of citizens. The alarm was caused by a 
party of four Indians attacking some 
whites at Acton. They had beeti hunting 
in the neighborhood of that place for sev- 
eral days and appeared sullen and ugly. 
However, as the Indians were at peace 
with ihe whites no uneasiness has been 
felt. 

KILLIN(J TIIK WHITES. 

On Sunday, the 17th day of August, 
these Indians came to the house of Mr. 
Howard Baker. Visiting at their house 
wt-re their neighbors, Mr. Webster and 
wife, and Mr. Jones and wife. The In- 
dians seeintr Mr. Jones, with whom they 
had previously had a quarrel, wished to 
renew it. They challenged Baker and 
Jones to shoot at a mark. After shooting 
they hastily reloaded their guns before the 
whiles had loaded theirs and began firing 
at the whites, killing Mr. Jones and his 
wife, ard Baker and Webster. Mis-* Wil- 
son was killed at Mr. Jones* house. Then, 
stealing horses, this band of murderers 
hastened back to their people near the 
agency at Yellow Medicine. The next 
day nearly all the Indians, who had been 
waiting for some time at ihe agency for 
their Hnnual paymentn, which were con- 
siderably over due, started ofT on the 
war path to exterminate the whites, and 
the most terrible massacre of settlers 
ever known in the annals of frontier war- 
fare was begun. 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



49 



The party from Fair Haven, with Capt. 
Adkin's company, went to Forest City, 
then to Acton, but found that others had 
been there before them and had buried the 
dead. They then ecouted around to Green 
Lake and other places to rescue any per- 
sons found alive, and to bury any found 
dead. 

They returned to Forest City on Friday, 
the 22nd of August, and to Fair Haven 
the n*-xt day, without encountering the 
enemy. Although no Indians were seen 
near Fair Haven during the outbreak, it 
was believed that there were small scout- 
ing parties around. At one time, while 
J. G. Smith and two companions were 
working in the harvest field they distinct- 
ly heard some gun caps snapped in the 
brush near by. They quickly seized their 
gUDS and made an investigation, but found 
no one. They supposed that some Indians 
hnd tried to shoot them, but their guns 
had missed tire. 

RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES. 

The nieri that remained at Fair »Haven 
slept in their fort nights and worked in 
their fields during the day. It was but 
two or three weeks before it was deemed 
safe for the women to return. Most of 
them came back to their homes and re- 
sumed their usual duties. But there was 
a feeling of uneasinei-s and fear until the 
winter, when it waw believed that all dan- 
ger was over. 

BURYING THE DEAD. 

Mr. John Goodspeed tells of his visit to 
AciOD the next day, after Jones and his 
people were killed, when the coroner at 
Forest city empannelled a jury of 12 men 
men, ncluding Mr. Goodspeed, to go to 
Acton to hold an inquebt over the bodies 
of the slain, and bury the dead. They 
were accompanied by about 70 men on 
horseback At Mr. Howard Baker's house 
they found the dead bodies of Mr. Baker, 
Mr. Webster, Mr. Robinson Jones, and his 
wife. Going to the house of Mr. Jones 
they found his n'ece, a Miss Wilson, lying 
in the house dead. Her little sister was 
asleep when the tragedy occurred, and 



was covered with blood when found, for 
she had been vainly endeavoring to get 
her sister up. The bodies were not mu- 
tilated. They were all buried. While they 
were holding the inquest a party of 30 In- 
dians appeared and were chased by those 
on horseback. 

GERMAN SETTLEMENT. 

There was a small settlement of Germans 
on the extreme northern line of the town- 
ship of Fair Haven. One of the first of 
these to locate a claim was Henry Block. 
He was a native of Hanover, Germany, 
and, in the spring of 1856, came to this 
country and stopped a few months in Wis- 
consin. He then came to Fair Haven, and 
took a claim, which is situated on the 
shore of Beaver lake. His son H. C. still 
operates this same claim. 

The other German families arrived sev- 
eral years later. During the Indian out- 
break in 1862, several of these families 
fled to St. Cloud, but soon returned and all 
went to the house of Mr. Locherand forti- 
fied it as well as they could. In the day 
time they would venture out and secure 
their crops and sleep in the house nights, 
with some one to sit up and look out for 
Indians. One of this number narrates 
some alarms that they had, that, at the 
time, appeared very serious, but after the 
danger was over, and the causes of the 
alarm discovered, they could enjoy a good 
laugh over the incident 

''mixing it." 

The long winter of 1862-3 passed quiet- 
ly. The Indians had been driven back in- 
to the Dakota territory, and troops were 
stationed at Paynesville, Sauk Centre, on 
the Red River and at Chippewa, and sup- 
plies had to be hauled to them. Oats from 
Fair Haven and other towns were hauled 
to feed the horses at Chippewa, where the 
Government paid one dollar per bushel. 
Wheat could be bought for 50 cents per 
bushel, and one bushel of wheat would 
weii;h nearly as much ab two bushels of 
oats. It was a great temptation to those 
hauling oats to feed the Government 
horses and mules to mix some wheat with 



50 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



the oatB. They could buy a buohel of 
wheat for fity cents and mix it with a 
bushel of oats that would cost forty cents 
and sell the mixture to the Government 
for nearly three bushels of oats. It was 
claimed that if the wheat was good, a 
pound of wheal was as valuable for feed- 
ing purposes as a j)ound of oats, and that 
the horses and mules were just as well 
suited with the mixtnre as with clearoats. 
It was only when the oats was mixed with 
foul seed, dirt, wild buckwheat and screen- 
ings that not onlv was the government 
cheated, hut the animals were defrauded 
of their proper food. This demand for 
the farmers' produce assisted them great- 
ly, and money, which for many years had 
been an almost unknown commodity, be- 
gan to circulate. 

KILLED BY INDIANS. 

The spring came and with it quite active 
farming operations were begun in antici- 
pation of good prices. Soon after the see<l- 
ing was Hnished there were rumors that 
signs of Indians had been seen in the Big 
Wo()il-< I'ld there was much uneasiness fell 
amor)g tlie settlers of Fair Haven, and 
other adjoining towns. There were known 
to be small parlies of Sioux prowling 
around in the timber south of the town, 
and the belief thai they were hosiile was 
fully confirmed by the tragic death of 
Henry McGannan, who was shot down by 
an unseen foe on the 28ih day of June, on 
the roaii to Kingston. He was burit-d 
where he fell on the I'^t of July, and in 
the fall the body was removed to the Fair 
Haven cemetery. 

DESIGNING SOLDIERS 
There were eight or ten soldiers from 
the 8lh Miiinet^ota Regiment stationed at 
Fair H iven that accompanied the mail 
back and forth from Kingston to this place 
as a truarfl, and also to scout wherever there 
was supposed to be danger from In<iaiis 
McGaniian's death was succeeded by no 
other hostile demonst ration, so, after a 
period of quiet, it began to be understood, 
(so tradition says) that the Government 
would soon send these troops South. Some 



of them did not relish this, and they set 
their wits to work to do something that 
would cause their being retained in their 
present position. It is claimed that three 
of them dressed up like Indians and went 
to the residence of Mrs. Hathaway, two or 
three mibs west of the village, and finding 
her absent, and only her mother, Mrs. 
Storms, an old lady, at home, they pre- 
tended to be Indians and caught her and 
with a big knife cut off her hair and 
frightened her nearly to death. She es- 
caped and fled to Fair Haven and reported 
that she had been attacked by Indians. 
This occasioned quite a panic among the 
people, and extra precautions were taken 
by the settlers to guard the women and 
children. A company of citizens was 
formed and the territory around that part 
of the country was thoroughly inspected 
for many days, these same soldiers assist- 
ing. But they had accomj)lished their 
object, lor the Government, believing that 
there were Indians still around, the sol- 
diers were kept at Fair Haven several 
months loi:ger. It is told that «ne of the 
three who impersonated Indians at thai 
lime, has at this late day told the truth of 
the aflair. McGannan was shot by Little 
Six and his son. Some time afterwards, 
Little Six and his son were shot at near 
Hutchinson, and the son killed. He bad 
on Mc(iannan'8 coat which would indicate 
that he was the murderer. 

INDIANS STEAL HORSES. 

Many signs of small pjrlies of Sioiix 
In<liaiis had been ob'^erved in the towns of 
Fair Haven and Maine Prairie and as a 
result people were on the watch and many 
went armed. One Sunday afternion in 
August, Christ Block who at that lime 
was quite a younjj boy, discovered three 
IniliHiis fishing in a small lake, called 
Beaver Lake, not far from his house, and 
informed his father of his discovery. 
About dark Mr. Bhick's horsts came run- 
ning from the pasture greatly frightened. 
Believing that the Indians had in some 
way been the cause of their alarm .VIr. 
Block fastened them in his stable for sife- 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



51 



ty About twelve o'clock his dog begran to 
bark in a furious manner, and Mr. Block 
went out and found three Indians leading 
his horses out of the stable. He was un- 
armed, but notwithstanding the odd' ol 
three to one he pitched into them and suc- 
ceeded in driving them off and getting bis 
horses and agaio secured them in the sta- 
ble. The Indians ran for their guns, 
which they had left outside the yard and 
Block ran into the house for his gun. 
About two o'clock the Indians came back 
and Block, armed wilh a shot sun and 
his son Chris with a pistol, went 
out and opened fire on the Indians, 
who returned th( fire, with the result on 
one side of a wounded Indian, on the 
other a bullet had passed through Block's 
cap. One shot had struck his gun and a 
stray ball had cut f>ff the tail of a steer 
that was in the vard. The Indians re- 
treated but soon returned and succeeded ir 
getting away with two horses and a suck- 
ing colt. At daylight Mr. B. took their 
trail whi( h went near Fair Haven. He 
was soon joined by the following State 
scouts. Quartus FarweM, Joseph Kim- 
ball, A. Farnsworth, B. F. Butler, A. W. 
Tucker, James Robinson, L ri. Brown 
and Elder Ntirris. These scouts followed 
the trail three days until they came out 
onto the prairie near Kingston. When 
near Albion the Indians killed a fine steer 
belonging to Mr. Holmes, and cut pieces 
of flesh out and took along with them. 
The scouts heard the firing, but it was 
near night and the trail could n(it be fol- 
lowed. Ttie next morning when near 
Corrina, as the scouts emerged from 
the thick brush U|)On a march, they dis- 
covered the three Indians on the opposite 
side, dismounted. The Indians saw the 
scouts and sprang behind their horses, 
just as the scouts fired. They than sprang 
upon their horses and escaped into the 
thick brush, one ol them realing, 
as if badly wounded, and it was 
believed none escaped unhurt. 

In their hasie they left a gun and two 
knives. When the horse tniefs reached 



the prairie, word was sent to some cavalry 
and they pursued them thirty miles. 
There were but two Indians then and they 
escaped by swimming a lake. From the 
bloody clothing that they had left on the 
bank of the lake it was evident that both 
were wounded. The horses were returned 
to their owner, but in a wretched used up 
condition. 

Soon after this the scouting parties of 
Indians left for their safer hunting 
grounds in the far west and there was a 
feeling of relief among the settlers. 

The winter of 1864, will long be remem- 
bered for its changeable weather. On the 
2nd and 3d of January the the thermome- 
ter showed 42 degrees below zero, while 
on the 20th it was 70 degrees above, a dif- 
f«»rence of of 112 degrees. It is the cus- 
tom in Minnesota for the farmers to kill 
their beef and pork in the fall or early 
winter and let the meat freeze and keep it 
frozen until toward Spring or until a bet- 
ter price is obtainable. This meat will 
keep fresh and good generally until Spring 
but the extremely warm weather this win- 
ter cansed it to thaw out and much of the 
meat was ruined on account of the con- 
tinued warm weather. 

The next year, 1864, was a quiet one as 
far as any startling incident to Fair Haven 
is concerned. The old settlers do not re- 
member anytbing worthy of note that oc- 
curred that year only the deep interest 
taken by this patriotic town in the war of 
the southern rebellion where so many of 
her sons were fighting for their country. 
More volunteers were needed and it had 
been decided by the general government 
to raise them by draft if thfj could get 
them in no other way. Then came the 
perplexing question of how to draft men 
and from what districts, for some towns 
had sent more men than others according 
to their population. In the first part of 
the war but little attention was paid to the 
subject of crediting each man to the town 
that he lived in, but when the town of Fair 
Haven was credited up with her volunteers 
it showed that more than the town's quota 



52 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



had volunteered and coniequently there 
would be no draft in that town. Thia was 
a matter of pride in the town and alBO of 
rejoicing. The draft wai Bet for January 
4th, 1864, but before that date eo many 
bad volunteered that it was poRtponed. 

From the St. Cloud Democrat of March 
lOih, 1864, the following items of interest 
concerning Fair Haven are gleaned: 

"The quotas of the following towns are 
given showing how many volunteers had 
been credited to that town and how many 
were her share to send. They are given 
for all calls from the commencement of 
the war to the this time: Fair Haven's 
quota wa« 18 and she has furnished 25, 
showing that this town is 7 ahead of her 
quota. Maine Prairie'i quota was 20 and 
she has furnished 25 Lyiiden'e quota was 16 
and she has furnished 15." 

The following sad announcement is 
found under date of March lOih: 

"Mr. James Tucker, of Fair Haven, 
who was working in the pineries in the 
camp of F. Morrison, was killed by a 
limb irorn a falling tree striking him on 
the lieail. He lived eleven hours after 
the accident." 

July 1st O. D Webb got the contract to 
carry the mail from St. Cloud to Fair 
Haven via Maine Piairie once a week: 
leaving St. Cloud at 6 a. m. Tuesday; ar- 
riving at Fair Haven at 12 m and return- 
ing to St. Cloud at 7 p. m. of the same 
day. 

The spring 1865 was a seacou of rejoic- 
ing to the people of Fair Haven. The news 
of the surrender of General Lee and his 
army to Gt-neral Grant caused much re- 
joicing in the hearts of those who had 
Irieiids and relatives in the army, and they 
looked forward with pleasant anticipation 
to the lime in the near future when the 
boys in blue would return h'^me and peace 
should reign over a united and prosperous 
nation, it was but a few dHy^ after receiv- 
ing the glad tidings of Lee'ssurrender that 
the appalling news of the assasination of 
President Abraham Lincoln was heralded 
through the land. This intelligence cast a 



deep gloom over the whole country and 
grave fears were entertained that it might 
lead to a continuation of the war or the 
breaking up of the nation into several dif- 
ferent governments. But tbe intelligence 
sound sense and understanding of the peo- 
ple prevented such a catastroph, and, soon, 
peace was assured. 

Until the year 1865, there were but few 
settlers in the northern and eastern part 
of the town of Fair Haven, and a large 
part of the town was covered with brush 
and timber, but about this time this land 
be^an being settled upon and improved. 
Claims began to be taken and improved in 
the timber to the south and west. This 
^ummer Grinols A Cooper opened a store 
of general merchandise and did a thriving 
business. About this time it was dii>c<>v- 
ered that immense quantities of gin-eng 
grew in the timber in the vicinity of Fair 
Haven. The people turned out and du^ 
the root and an immei se traffic soon be- 
gan with this valuable product. The roots 
were shipped to China, It was stated that 
from sixty thousand to eighty thousand 
dollars were paid out for the root in one 
season, a large part of it was bought by 
Grinols & Cooper, and although it seemed 
as if every foot of ground was searched 
each year, it was manv years before it 
Ct-ased to be profitable to hunt for genseng 
at certain seasons of the year. 

With the war of the rt-bellion over, with 
good cro])8 and good prices the peo- 
ple of Fair Haven becan to see bright 
prosp«-cts ahead, and to f-rget the many 
privations tl at they had pawsed through. 
The store of Grinols & Cooper, as well as 
the grist mill, brought many people there 
to trade, or to get their wfieat ground into 
flour. The saw mill was well pa'roniz'd 
and many hauled logs to the mill to be 
converted into lumber, and nearly every 
day in the yeAV the streets were thronged 
with people froai the country, some of 
them coming a distance of ten to fifteen 
miles. 

PRICES COMPARED. 

In ordt-r to show tiow the prices of farm 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



53 



products fluctuate and also to show the 
prices paid for groceries, the following 
market reports are taken frona the St. 
Cloud Democrat of March 20th, May 3.1, 
and Sept. 1865, and from the St. Cloud 
Daily Times of October, 1895. Although 
){ood prices were received for farm pro- 
duce in 1865, yet for everything that they 
bought a correspondingly high price was 
paid. Sugar, tea aod kerosene were ex- 
ceedingly high. Here are the fiaures: 

March 20 May 3 Sept. Oct. 

1865. 1S65. 1865. 1865. 

Wheat per bu 8 1 2.5 $ 80 I 60 SO 50 

Corn " " 1 25 1 00 75 15 

Oats •' " 65 85 45 20 

Rye " *• 1 15 1 15 50 

Barley " " 1 60 1 30 — — 

Beans " " 4 00 3 00 2 50 1 25 

Onions " " 5 00 5 00 — 50 

Hay per ton 800 700 600 500 

EgKS per doz 20 12^^ 20 12i^ 

Pork per cwt 15 00 15 00 15 00 — 

Kero5ene per gal. 1 50 1 30 1 20 15 

Flour per barrel.. 9 75 8 00 — 3 30 

Sugar per pound..26@37 16@26 17@25 06 

Tea per lb 1 50ra;2 50 1 25 1 25(5*2 00 50 

NO NOTABLE EVENTS. 

There were not many notable events oc- 
curing in Fair Haven during the year 
1866. John K. Noyes had the contract 
for carrying the mail from St. Cloud to 
Fair Haven, and in July a tri-weekly mail 
route wac eslablished from Clearwatef to 
Forest City, through Fair Haven and 
Kingston. Prior to this year school had 
been tHUght in such buildings as could be 
hired, but a school house was built that 
veHr which answered all purposes for a 
short time. Soon however, the increase 
of the population demanded a more com- 
modious building and in 1880 the present 
tine school biiildint; was complt-ted. 

On the firet of Sfpteraber the railroad 
was completed from St. Paul to St. Cloud 
and there wan much rejoicing in conse- 
quence. 

The crops, this ye»r were fine, and the 
usual sequence of nature's prodigality was 
observable in this little village in the mat- 
ing «)f the young people. 

We coppv from the St. Cloud Democrat, 
of Mav 24th 1866, the fojlowinir notices of 
the wedding of two of Fair Haven's popu- 
lar young men to twM of Fair Hnven'sfair 
daughters: 



"At the residence ofT. C. Partridge, 
Rev. T. C. Partridge united in the holy 
bonds of matrimony James B. Vander- 
voort to MisB Valona M. Partridge." 

"May 24, 1886, at the residence of O. D. 
Webb, by Rev. J. N. Thresher, Mr. R. M. 
Vand^rvoort to Miss Alma Webb." 

The fine Octagon hotel belonging to and 
operat d by J. K. Noy- s was destroyed in 
the fall of this year. It was a great loss 
to the village as well as to Mr. Noyes. 

JUNK FRESHET, 1867. 

In the June freshet of 1867, the waters 
in the Clearwater river were greatly swol- 
len, and the mills and dam at Fair Haven 
were in great danger of being swept away. 
Evt-rytbing was done to strengthen the 
dam and prevent the threatened catas- 
trophe, but all in vain. With a mighty 
roar the huge volumeof water began pour- 
ing ov-^r the dam, and in an incredibly 
short time the flouring mill and dam were 
swept down the river. The loss was keen- 
ly felt, nf>t only by the owners, but bv the 
whole community. But with their char- 
acteristic energy and enterprise the own- 
ers, Messrs. J. A. L'nscott hmiI Wm. Vie, 
immediately began to rebuild the dam and 
mill, and had it rebuilt and running that 
same year. This was an unlucky year lor 
Fair Haven. Besides the loss of the flour- 
ing mill, Grinols & Cooper's store was 
burned. But they were soon established 
in a new building. 

FAIR HAVEN CHURCHES. 

The Christian church was organized in 
1886, and in the vear 1887 the organiza- 
tion ceded their present house of worship, 
which was dedicated on the 4th day of 
September of that year. The dedicatory 
services were performed by Elder Pier, of 
Litchfield, and Elder Campbell, of How- 
ard Lake, preached th- se inon at the 
first quaiterly meeting. Elder Truai was 
their first minister, and preached for two 
years. The organizition started out with 
23 men)bers. Soon 35 new members were 
added. Since Sept. Ist, 1893, there has 
been no church organization. 

The Seventh Day Advent church was 



54 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



organized April 26, 1879. Ite first officers 
were .Mr. B. Gregory, Elder; S. Leavitt, 
Deacon, and John Donehoe, clerk. In 
1889 their prt-sent house of worship was 
hui't and was dedicated by W. H. Tenny. 
The church was orKaiiized by W. B Hill, 
a Seventh Day Adventiot minister. 

Th- Methodist Episcopal church build- 
ing of Fair Haven was built in 1889. The 
buiidinK is 24 feet wide by 40 feet long, 
will seat about two hundred people, and 
cost $1,100 I'B first trustees were Adam 
Ringer, P. P Partridge, and C M King. 
It was dedicated by the presiding Euler, 
John Stafford, anJ bad twenty-five mem- 
bers at that time. The following persons 
have held the office of trustee in later 
yearn: John Goodspeed Arnold Good- 
Bt.ee«i and S. C. Kemp. It has had as 
pastors Thomas E. Archer, C. E. Powell 
and John Doran. 

The present Baptist church was built in 
1868. 

({. A. K. HALL. 

The Grand Army Hall was built in 1889. 
The funds to build it with were raised by 
subscription besides labor was donated by 
the members of the Post. 

CLOSE OF NARRATIVE. 

This completes the present early history 
of the now prosperous and growing town 
of Fair Haven. The main idea of the 
writer has been to show how the people 
lived in a new cunrv; the many priva- 
tions they had to endure, and how bravely 
and hopefully they persevered and over- 
came the obstacles that confronted them 
in their new homes. The memory of the 
early settlers has had to be relied upon 
for most of the incidents related in this 
work. The good people of Fair Haven 
have done everything in their power to 
assist in this work, and the writer takes 
this opportunity to thank them for the 
many favors shown him, ami to ask them 
to overlook the many mistakes that must 
necessarily be made when the memory of 
thirty-five to forty ye><r8 ago is depended 
upon for information. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 

I append a few biographical sketches of 
Fair Haven's earliest pioneers. 

THOM.VS C. PARTRIIKIE. 

Thomas C. Partridge the first discoverer 
and founder of the townsite of Fair Haven 
was born near Pittsburg, Penn., in 1815. 
His parents moved to Trumball county, 
Oiiio. In the fall of 18'4, he came to Min- 
nesota and built a house in Minneapolis. 
The next spring he traded this home for a 
farm, 9 miles northwest of Minneapolis, 
which he farmed fur two v^ars. In the 
spring of of 1856, he, with a few men dis- 
covered Fair Haven, and located it as a 
townsite, and had it surveyed and platted 
that summer. In the fall he brought up his 
wife and family, consistinir of Payson P.. 
Cecil, Florus and daughter Vaiona. Mr. 
Partridge was a Free Baptist He I uill a 
large log house and that winter rt*ligi<>us 
meetings were held in his house, and l<>r 
manv years he preached in that and s'lr- 
ronnding towns. He look a great deal of 
interest in town and school bojrds and 
used his influence for an economical man- 
a,gemei.t of public affairs. His daughter 
Vaiona married J. B. ^'andervort May 
23, 1866. Florous B. Partridge married 
Miss Anna Hurtz Oct. 3, 1880. 

JOHN L. DEAN. 

John L. Dean was born in Ohio, and 
came to Fair Maven in May 1856, and 
took a claim. He engaged in farming and 
carpenting for some tiaae and then became 
a^ent for Holmes & Tyler, nurserymen. 
Mr. Dean and Miss Sarah Tucker v7»-re 
married at Fair Haven, in 1858. Their 
children were named Hettie, Elida, Al- 
bert Frederick, Louise and Florence. He 
died in 1884. 

LOVINUS ABELL. 
LovinuB Abell was one of the party that 
first discovered Fair Haven, in the spring 
of 1856. He was b rn in Trumball coun- 
ty, Ohio, in 1809. He took a claim and 
built a house. In the fall he was joinvd 
by his wife and daughters, Jane and 
Laurie, and sons Newton, Westley, John 
and Milton. Mr. Abell was a fanner all 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN, 



55 



his life. In 1884 he passed quietly away 
at the age of 75 years. His wife, who is 
84 ye rs old, is still quite active, with her 
intellectual faculties as clear as ever, and 
remembers many iucidentsof their pioneer 
life. 

Of the children, .John and Milton are 
now living in Fair Haven, and Jane is 
now Mrs. L. Belden and also living in 
Fair Haven. Westley, Newlon and Laurie 
liave passed over ' he silent river. 

JOHN G. SMITH. 

John G. Smith wa.s born in Trumbill 
county, Ohio, in 1834, and worked on a 
farm until the full of 1855, when he came 
to Minnesota Tn the sprinsr of 1856 he 
was one of the first lo discover the place 
where the village of Fair Haveen now 
stands, and took a claim May 28, about 
one mile north of it. He has resided on 
this farm evt-r since. He was married in 
1871, and has ten children living. He has 
been a member of the town board several 
years, and was prominent in town affairs. 
He came from the Wester Reserve, Ohio. 
When he lived there Garfield was their 
representative in congress. At a time 
when congress had voted a censure upon 
Joshua 'biddings, Mr. Smith took an ac- 
tive part in the canvass for his re-election, 
and at one time drove him 12 miles to 
speak at a mass meeting. Mr. Gid- 
dings was elected lo congress that fall. 

D. A. PERKINS. 

D. A. Perkins was born in Canada, in 
1834, and in 1839 he moved lo Pennsyl- 
vania' He also lived in Ohio awhile and 
came from that State to Minnesota in 
1854, and stojtped at Minneapolis until 
1857, when he arrived at Fair Haven 
He enlisted in Co. C. 1st Minnesota Regi- 
ment in 1861, and was discharged in 1864, 
and re-enlisted in the same regiment and 
servef' until the close of the war. He was 
captured June 22, 1864, before Petersburg 
and was a prisoner nine months, parts of 
the time he was confined in the Anderson- 
viile, Libby, Bell Island and Florence 
prisons. He remained in Fair Haven un- 
til 1867. when he went to work on his farm 



near Sauk Center. He has resided in St. 
Cloud fifteen years. .!e was married in 
Jan. 1867. 

JOHN GOODSPEED. 

In 1856 John Goodspeed visited Maine 
Pfikirie, but soon went to Manannah. In 
1866, he came to Fair Haven, and settled 
on a farm which he had bought five years 
before. He has operated this farm ever 
since, in an intelligent and skillful man- 
ner. He has taken great interest in the 
aflfairs of his town, and has served as 
chairman of supervisors nine years, and 
Several years as supervisor as well as be- 
ing on the school board. He was born in 
Kennebec county, Maine, in 1833, and 
came to Minnesota in 1854, and located at 
Minneapolis. In 1859, Mr. Goodspeed 
and .Miss Helen Bryant were married. 
They were accompanied to Fair Haven 
with three children, Eunice, Frank and 
Alvin. 

JOSEPH H. LOCKE. 

Joseph H. Locke was born in Holowell, 
Maine, in 1820. He was brought up in 
the mercantile business, which he followed 
in Boston, Mas'^achusetts, until 1849, 
when he went to California and spent sev- 
eral years in mining. He then returned 
to the states. In 1857 he came to Minne- 
sota and located in the town of Fair 
Haven, where he bought a farm and re- 
sided upon it until he moved to St. Cloud 
in 1884. Mr. Locke and Miss Martha B. 
Bradford were married in 1845. They 
adopted two children, Fanny W. and Har- 
ry '"^ Mr. Locke was a member of the 
Unitarian church oi" St. Cloud. On the 
3l8t of January, 1891, he quietly passed 
to the other side of the river. His wife, 
who is 73 years of age, still survives him. 
His adopted son, H. S. Locke, is now a 
well known attorney in St. Cloud. 
O. D. WEBB. 

O. n. Webb was born in JeftVrson coun- 
ty, New York, in July, 1821. At the age 
ot eighteen he left home and worked for 
two years in a Houring mill. He then 
went to Plainstield, Illinois, and after- 
ward to Chicago, and was clerk in a store 



56 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



one year. He tlien traveled tbrouKh the 
northwest, and visited the eaflt and re- 
turned to Plainpfield, where he built and 
run a flouring mill In 1855 he came to 
Minnesota, locating at iSauk Rn|iidB, where 
he built a saw mill and afterwards added 
a (I'Uiring mill. He built and operated 
Ihuiring mills at Fair Haven, Paynesville 
and at Clifton, Wis. In 1878 he moved to 
Melrose, and in 1885 he returned to Fair 
Haven. In 1886 had a stroke of paralysis 
which was the cause of his de.ith that 
year. Mr. Wf bb was married on the 4th 
of April, 1847, to Mil's Esther Northuf", 
of Lewis countv, New York. When he 
returned to Fair Haven he was accompan- 
ied by bis wife and three daughters, Alma, 
Ella and Emma. 

BENJAMIN GRINOLS. 

Benjamin (jrinols was horn in the town 
ofOito, New York, in 1832. His early 
life was spent on a farm. He came to 
Anoka county, Minneoola, in 1856, and 
farmed it until in the summer of 1865, 
when he arrived in Fair Haven and en- 
gaged with Wva. Cooper as partner, in 
the business of general merchandise. Mr. 
Mr. Grinols and Miss Isabelle Cooper 
were married in May, 1859. Their three 
children are Clinton D., Ernest E. and 
Elsie J. All are married. On account of 
the death of his partner, Wm. Cooper, 
Mr. Grinols formed a company known as 
Grinols & Sons, with bis sons Clinton D. 
and E. E. as partners. In 1887 they sold 
out their merchandise business to Strout& 
Sons, and went into the businees of farm 
machinery. 

WILLIAM COOPER. 

In 1850 Wm Cooper arrived in F'air 
Haven, and engaged in the business of 
general merchandise in company with 
Benjamin Grinols. Mr. Cooper wxs born 
in Philadelphia, Pa., in March, 1838 He 
moved with his family into the northern 
part of the State when ffve years of age. 
He followed farming until 1857, when he 
came to Minnesota and settled in Anoka 
county. In 1862 he enlisted in the Eighth 
Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served 



eighteen months on the frontier in pursuit 
of the Indians, and then went south, but 
after six months was discharged on ac- 
count of wounds receiv^'d at the battle of 
Vlurfreesboro. He was PdS' master of Fair 
Haven for a number of years. On the 
20th day of Mav, 1866, Mr. Cooper and 
Mrs. Lizzie Robinson, daughter of J R. 
Noyes, were married. The namesof their 
children are Minnie M., Maud A. and 
Blanche. He died Feb. 24th, 1882. 

C. .1. HOOHAR. 

Mr. C. J. Boobar was one of the jirom- 
inent men of Fair Haven. He was born in 
Milo, Maine, in 1811, and when old 
enough, be engaged in the lumber busi- 
ness. He was married in 1836, and in 
1858 he came to Minnesota, from the town 
of Lee, Maine, accompanied by his wife 
and a large family. He was elected one (jf 
the first justices of the peace in the town 
of Fair Haven. He took a deep interest in 
the afiairs of the town, school and literarv 
society. In 1872, be quietly passed over 
the silent river, leaving a wife and large 
family of children besides hosts of friends 
to mourn his loss His wife is now (1895) 
in good healtti with faculties as bright as 
many younger women. She is 79 years 
old. 

STEPHEN SIAS. 

Stephen Sias was horn in Wyoming 
county, N. Y., April 19, 1830, and lived 
on a farm there until 1860. He married 
Mrs. Desire Baldwin, sister of Benjamin 
Grinols, of Fair Haven, in 1855. In 1856 
he came to Minnesota an I settled in Anoka 
county. In 18()1, he moved to Anoka, and 
worked at the cooper trade until 1865, 
when he came to Fair Haven, and re- 
mained unt 1 1889. While at Fair Haven 
he was engaged in farming, coopering and 
carpentering. His wife died in 1889. He 
then moved to Eden Valley where he 
lived until hie death, which occurred in 
1893. His only son, Frank L , is now en- 
gaged in ihe lumber business in Eden Val- 
l''y. Mr. Sias' step-son, Jerome Baldwin, 
enlisted from Fair Haven, in 1S65, and 
died in the army. Mr. Sias first came to 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



57 



Fair Haven in 1860, but on account of tbe 
Indian scare went back to Anoka. 

A, FARN8WORTH. 

A. Farnswortb was born in Cherryfield, 
Maine, in 1840. In 1861 be enlisted in 
tbe Birdan Sbarp Sbooters and served two 
years, and came to Fair Haven in 1863. 
He engaged in tbe lumbering business un- 
til 1872, wben he bougbt a farm of Rion- 
ard Rice. His wife died tbat spring and 
be went to Minneapolis and remained 
there eight years, when he returned to his 
farm, where he has remaited ever since. 
In 1879 he married again. They have 
two children. In 1863 he joined the State 
scouts and scouted around Fair Haven, 
and was one of those tbat pursued tbe 
three Indians that stole Block's horses. 

S. C. STHOUT. 

S. C. Strout was born in Maine in 1833, 
and went to Wisconsin in 1855 and en- 
gaged in farming. In 1865 he moved to 
Maine Prairie, and in 1867 he settled in 
Fair Haven, where he operated a farm 
until 1874, when he engaged in the mer- 
cantile business for two years, and kept a 
hotel one year. He moved to Monticello, 
where he remained until 1887. He and 
his son, Fred L., then engaged in the mer- 
cantile business in Fair Haven until his 
death in 1893 His son, Fred L , sold 
out the store and moved to Paynesville. 
WM. H. DAY. 

Wm. H. Day was born in the town of 
Gushing, Kennebec county, Maine, in 
1821, and arrived in Fair Haven in 1856, 
remaining there four years. In 1860 he 
moved onto a farm in Maine Prairie. He 
was the first constable elected when the 
three towns were ortranized into one town. 
He was also a member of the Board of 
Supervisors. His son Euirene, was the 
first white child born in Fair Haven, which 
occurred in 1857. He tilled his farm for 
many years. In Maine he followed farm- 
ing and Inmberinjr. Mr. Dny assiHted in 
building the first house built on the Fair 
Haven town site in the fall of 1856. 

R M. VANDERVORT. 

Richard M. Vandervort was born in 



Clinton county, Ohio, in 1842. He came 
from there to Fair Haven in 1861, and for 
sixteen years was engaged in tbe mercan- 
tile business in tbat place. Mr. Vander- 
vort has taken a great deal of interest in 
town, county and national affairs, and has 
been prominent in business connected with 
the improvement of the town. He also 
took a deep interest in tbe cause of educa- 
tion, and tbe improvement of tbe schools. 
He held the oflBce of town clerk for ten 
vears and has held some town office al- 
most continually. In 1862 be was one of 
the party of fifteen that went to tbe assist- 
ance of Forest City, upon tbe first of the 
Indian outbreak. He also took a promi- 
nent part in connection with the fort life 
with the people of Maine Prairie in 1862. 

H. p. BENNETT. 

H. p. Bennett was born in Spencer, 
Massachusetts, in 1819, and when 12 years 
old he went to Chicopee, where he was en- 
gaged in making patterns for a foundry. 
In 1857 he came to Maine Prairie and 
bougbt a farm and carried it on until 1863 
wben he moveo to St. Cloud, and opened 
a gun store and repair shop. In 1888 his 
wife died. He soon after sold out bis 
store and retired to private life. He was 
one of the first collectors in the town and 
also held tlie office of Justice of the Peace 
SHveral years. 

WILLARD C. TUFTS 

Willard C. Tufts was born in Massa- 
chusetts in 1836, and moved to Illinois in 
1856, remaining there one year. He then 
came to Fair Haven, look a claim which 
he farmed until 1861, when he enlisted in 
Company D, 4lh Minnesota Regiment, 
and served four years. He then returned 
and bought a farm three miles from the 
village and tilled it fourteen years. He 
then located on a farm west <>f the village, 
where he now resides. Mr. Tufts married 
Elvira Smith. Their children's names 
are .John and Carrie. 

HENRY BLOCK. 

rienry Block was born in Hanover, 
Germany, in 1812. He and Miss Johanna 
Ziegenbein were married in 1842. In 1856 



58 



HISTORY OF FAIR HAVEN. 



he CRtne to this country, stopping a few 
months in WisconBin. He started with 
his family in an ox team and arrived near 
the north line of Fair Haven on the 15th 
of September. Here his wagon broke 
down, and he located his claim near there 
on Beaver Lake. He was accompanied 
by his wife and two sons, H. C. and 
Henry. His son H. C. now owns and 
operates this farm. 

JOHN K. NOYES. 

John K. Noyes was born in Jonesbor- 
ough, Maine, in 1817. His principal oc- 
cupation was lumbering until 1856, when 
he came to Fair Havt-n. He built an 
octogan hotel, and operate I it a number 
of years and in the meantime improved 
and carried on his farm. He was also en- 
gaged for a number of years in building 
dams. Mr. Noyes took a deep interest in 
the affairs of the town and county, and was 
(juite prominent in developing the re- 
sources of the town. He took a leadlnir 
part in organizing the Old Settlers' Asso- 
ciation of the towns of Maine Prairie and 
Fair Haven, and making their meetingf 
interesting. Mr. Noyes and Miss Martha 
Small were married in Maine. He was 
accompanied to Fair Haven by his wife 
and daughters Josephine, Elizabeth, 
Mary, Bernice, Laurie and Julia, and 
sons George M. and Frank L. Mr. Noyes 
died Dec. 7th, 1883, and Mrs. Noyes fol- 
lowed him April 23d, 1893. 



.MRS GEO. R. WHITNEY. 
Among the early settlers was Mrs. Geo. 
R. Whitney. She was born in Maine in 
1821, and was married in 1838. In the 
spring of 1857 the family came to Minne- 
sota. Her husband started from their 
home in Maine a few days before the fam- 
ily, intending to transact some business in 
Boston and then join the family as they 
came along, but was taken suddenly sick 
and died and was buried by his friends be- 
fore the family arrived. The wife came 
on with her family consisting of her ons 
A. J., Alverloii, Geo R., Horace and F. 
H., and dau.,hter M^ry A. The family 
resided for one year nine miles sbove 
Minneapolis and in March, 1858, moved 
to Fair Haven. Mrs. Whitney and D. A. 
Hoyt, were married in 1859 and moved on 
to Mr. Uoyi'H farm on Maine Prairie. Id 
1886 they were divorced and in 1889, she 
married Sylvaruis Jenkins. Of the chil- 
dren A. J. n)arried Miss Ellen Clark and 
lived on Maine Prsirie aii'l kepi 8t'>re a 
number of years He was S^econd Lieu- 
tenant of Company D. 4th Minnesota Re- 
giment. He died in June, 1884. Horace 
was drowned in the biu flood near Bis- 
marck in the spring of 1876. A'verton 
difd in the army at Chattanoog April 23, 
1865. Geo. R. is in business at Sauk Cen- 
ter. F. H. is engineer at the Reformatory 
at St. Cloud. The daughter, .Mary A., is 
Mrs. W. H. Thompson, of St. Cloud. 




History of Lyndcn. 



By E. H. ATWOOD. 



ITS LOCATION. 

The town of Lynden ie situated in the 
southeast corner of Stearns county, and is 
mostly covered with brush and timber. A 
large part of the town is undulating:, with 
a rich and fertile soil. The Mississippi 
river forms its eatttern boundary while the 
Clearwater river flows along its southern 
line. A few settlers arrived in the town 
in 1853, but it was not until 1856 that any 
considerable settlement was made. The 
town is so situated that its history is very 
intimately connected with the towns of 
Clea'water and St. Cloud. The settlers of 
Lynden received their mail and attended 
church, bough their supplies and sold 
their produce at these points. For many 
years the settlers occupied only the east- 
ern side of the town, and a large part of 
the western side of the town remained Uii- 
eettied. 

BUT FEW OLD SETTLERS REMAIN. 

There are now but few of the early set- 
tlers living in the town. Some have died, 
and others have moved away There has 
been but little of an exciting nature in the 
history of the town. 

LYNDEN WAR VOLUNTEERS. 

During the r-'bellion, the town furnished 
its (juola of volunteers for the army, and 
her sons ditl noble work on many southern 
battle fields. The farmers were an intelli- 
gent, active and progressive class of citi- 
zent*, and conducted their farming opera- 



tions in an enlightened and business-like 
manner. During the early years of the 
town's existence, the settlers saw hard 
times, and scant fare, and suffered many 
privations. The following are among the 
names of those who enlisted during the 
war: Carroll H. Clifford. Frank W. 
Clifford, George C. Clifford, John W. 
Lyons, William h. Lyons, James M. 
Lyons, E. P. Parcher, Frank M. Parcher, 
Benjamin Robinson, Adam Bunt, William 
Dallas, W^ilber F. Fisk, James Langdon, 
C. H. Vorse and George T. Campbell. 
There was one lacking to fill the town's 
quota, and Levi Gleason was drafted and 
afteiward promoted to chaplain. All of 
the above named volunteers lived and re- 
turned to their homes, except E. P. 
Parcher, who was killed at the battle of 
The Cedars December 7th, 1864. 

THE FIRST SETTLERS. 

It is claimed that John Townsand made 
the first claim in the town, in 1853 He 
was a native of Pennsylvania. William 
and John McDonald and Joseph and Peter 
Townsand arrived the same year, and the 
next year took claims. Tn 1854, Jonothan 
and Wm. Dallas arrived, and located in 
the town. They were natives of Indiana. 
M. D. Cambell came from Ohio, and Jae. 
Cambell, his brother, from the State of New 
York, and took clamis that fall. The next 
year J. W. Stevenson and Abell Kent ar- 
rived in the town, from Ohio, and took 



6o 



HISTORY OF LYNDEN. 



clainiB in section nine and ten. Mr. Kent 
was aocompanied by his wife, and four 
dauKhlers. Geo. T. Cambell also arrived 
and took a claim thin year. 

THK FIRST MARRIACE — A SCARE. 

In the fall of lSo5, J W. Stevenson and 
Miss Enima Kent, were joined intbeholy 
bonds of matrimony. As there was no 
officer qnalifit'd to perform tlie ceremony 
on the west side of the Mi siHsippi river, 
it was necessary to go across the river 
Simon Stevens lashed two Indian canoea 
together and took the wedding party over 
the river. As the party was quite large 
it took several trips. When the party ar- 
rived on the opposite hank, a boy was dis- 
patc ed for John Steveson, a Justice of the 
Peace in the then county of Benton. The 
place where they were is now in Sher- 
burne county, Benton county having been 
divid d. The bride and groom were ac- 
companied by their relatives and a few in- 
vited guests. But, as is usual in such 
cases, many of the young men were not 
invited to witness the ceremony, and fell 
agrieved at being thus slighted, and con- 
cluded to see the performance, invitation 
or no invitation. While the bridal party 
was waiting upon the eastern bank of the 
father of waters for the arrival of the one 
man in all that vast region clothed with 
the authority to legnlly join them to- 
gether, standing upon ground that had 
probablv never before been pressed by the 
foot of the white man, surrounded by a 
primeval forest that h.ad never been des- 
poiled by the advancing tide of civiliza- 
tion, the young uninvited men had quiet- 
ly crossed over the river and surrounded 
the bridal party and secreted themselves 
in the brush where they could see the 
ceremony and not be seen themselves. 
Soon the "Squire" came and began the 
cerenaony. He had never before been 
called upon for such a purpose It was 
new business to him, but lie tiriaily pro- 
nounced them man and wife. Th s was 
the signal agreed upon by the uninvited, 
and they simultaneously sprang up, fired 
off their guns and gave the Indian war 



whoop. All of the bridal party were badly 
frightened, and the terrible shock caused 
some of the women to faint. 

(ieo. T. Cambell came from Boston in 
1855, and bought a claim and remained 
one year, then returned to Boston, but 
came back in I8()0. That same fall Joseph 
Townsand and Mins Harriet Ball, of Lvn- 
den, were married. They also had to cross 
the Mississippi river to have theceremonv 
properly performed. In March, 1858, A. 
B. Darbv and Jerusha Ingalls were mar- 
ried and were the first couple to have the 
ceremony performed in the town of Lyn- 
den. 

ARRIVALS K\ 1856. 

Among the arrivals in 1856 were A. S. 
Clitlored, Truman Parcher, L. C. John- 
son, Geo. Vj. Warner, Martin Johnson, 
Stephen Oyster, E. G. Mathews, T 
Heaion, A. C Powers, E. <i. Mm- 
thews, and B. T. Lyons. Tiiey 
took claims in the eastern part of the town. 
The same year Charles D'ily, Jo-epli 
Pratt and Mr. McConney settled on the 
west side of the town, near Fair Haven. 
Mr. Dally operated bis claim until his 
death about the year 1880. Mr. Pratt 
moved to Nebraska about the tear 1873 
Mr. McConney remained but a few years 
(m his claim. 

CLEAR\V.\TER'S FATAL BLUNDER. 

The destinies of man, as well asof towns, 
cities and even nations, are often changed 
by events that seem at the time of verv 
little imjiortance. His'ory is replete with 
apparently unimportant events that have 
turned the tide of battles or the fate of na- 
tions. Cities have grown to immense pro- 
portions in spite of unfavorable natural 
conditions, while at other places, where 
everything in nature points to it as a suit- 
able site for a great metropolis, a stragling 
town is found. Some of the early settlers 
of Clearwater think that a very sin«ll 
event changed the career of that place and 
prevented it from now oci'upying the 
proud position of the "Fourth City" of 
Minnesota. In 1856, the Burbank stage 
company were running their stages from 



HISTORY OF LYNDEN. 



6l 



St. Paul to the Red River of the North, 
by way of St. Cloud, as well ae hauling 
euppliee over tbie route. They found that 
by making a road frona Clearwater to Cold 
Spring it would save 12 to 15 miles of 
travel over the sandy road from Clearwater 
to St. Cloud. The saving of this distanc*- 
was a biff item to the company, with their 
heavy traffic. They made a propositioi 
to the townsite owner? of Clearwater, of- 
fering to mak« a good roa'i from that 
plac to Cold Spring, through the rich and 
fertile towns of Fair Haven, Maine Prairie 
and Luxemburg, providing that, in return, 
they were to have sufficient land for their 
barns, stables and warehouses. They in- 
tended to make this place a base of opera- 
tions. The boHts could bring up their 
BU[)plies from St. Anthony during the 
whole season of navigation, whereas, it 
was only during the high water that the 
boats could reach St. CI md. The road to 
Cold Spring would run through a very 
fertile country, now fast settling up, and 
soon immense quantities of wheat, corn 
and oats would be hauled to Clearwater 
and sold to be shipped by boat to St. 
Anthony, and the money f r the grain 
would be spent in the town for supplies 
that would be brought up by water at a 
rate cheaper than it could be 
hauled by team, as the case was 
at Saitit Cloud. Constquently, the 
farmers could get better prices at Clear- 
water for their supplies. T'len, again, 
the immense trains of Rt'ii River carts 
that made annuti trips to S . Cloud and 
St. Pxul would C'>ine hy way of Cold 
Spring to ( learwater, and h" they could 
Bend their goods down on the boHt and net 
their supplies up from St. Paul cheaper 
than they could to go down with their 
trains, this town would become the term- 
inal point of these trains This alone 
would be a big item. This, tokrelher with 
the vast fertile country to the southwest 
with unlimited quantities of ihe various 
kinds of hard wood for lumber and m tnu- 
facturing purposes, and together with a 
splendid water power, capable of running 



two flouring mille and a saw mill, would 
naturally point out this place as having 
all that was needed of natural advantages 
to make in the near future, a large and 
fl'iurishing city. But, the townsite owners, 
like many others in the early days, were 
short sighted, and replied to the Burbank 
Company's proposition, that their lots 
were for sale, but not to give away. The 
result was that the road to Cold Spring 
was never opened, and the company con- 
tinued to go by way of St. Cloud. 

FIRST BIRIH — FIHgT DKATH. 

The first child born in the town was a 
son of Peter Townsand. He was named 
Byron in August, 1856. 

J. W. Stevenon, who was the first to 
marry in the town was th« first to die. 
Hie death occurring on the 14th day of 
September, 1856. 

lynden's mills. 

A mill was built at the mouth of the 
Clearwater river in 1856, but before start- 
ing up a flood washed it away. A steam 
saw mill was erected and operated in 1857 
by Frank Morrison. Stephen Ovester was 
the millwright who built the mill. Thos. 
C Rogers built the lower flouring mill in 
1858, and in 1860 James Cambell erected 
the upper flouring mill and operated it 
several years. 

FIRST SCHOOL. 

The first school whs taught in a shanty 
in the winter of 1858-59, by J. Kingsley, 
from Vermont. The first school house was 
built in 1859, the funds for building it 
were raised by subscription. The first 
teacher in the new house was Marrietta 
Vt.rse. 

FIRST ELECTION. 

The first election was held in the house 
of S A. Clifford in October, 1857. It was 
then called CUarwater precinct. S. A. 
Clifford, Truman Parcher and Martin 
Johnson were judges of election, and A. 
C. Powers and W. D. Davis were clerks. 
A preliminary meeting of the voters of 
the town to consider the question of or- 
ganizing the town was held in 1858. The 



62 



HISTORY OK LYNDKN, 



HHltlerfl were f«'W nnd tliti lown whh not or- 
giiii</i'(l until .Ian ir)tli, iHftU. 

(llt(IANI/.IN(l 'I'llK low N 

'VUit cili/.t'iiH liad pt-litioned tliu county 
(■'iniiiiiHHionerH for im (ircItT lo foriu a 
town. The pr-lilioii whh Kiuoted und tlio 
volcrn notilit'd to luvfl on tlit' ir>ih day of 
Jiiniinr», 18ri*,l, nnd orK>i)ii/,» l)y elevtint; 
llin nfccHwary oIlicerH. The notice from 
the county conimiHHioneiH whh Hiynt-d l»y 
T. C;. McOlure hh clerk of thu board. At 
tlie lirHl town iiieelinji; S. A. (llillurd, T. 
Parcher and A. K«nt were choHen judges 
of tdfClion. 'I'he county coniaiiHaionerR 
hati desiKiiatetl the name of the town 
"CroninK," hut the voters uhrintened it 
LyndtfU. The following officxrH were elect- 
ed aa the tirst oflicurH of the new town: 
SuperviaorH, Snlh (iilil)H, cliairnian; Mar- 
tin JohiiHiin and rninuin I'archer; VV. A. 
SiiiniHT, iiivvii I'li-rk; T. I lualon arul F. II. 
Tlioin|iKon, conMlahlea; \V. P. Iviehy anri 
John .VIoDoiuild, justice <if tin- peace; S. 
A. (^liflord, aHHcMBor; ovormcr of the poor, 
N VV. .Merrill; road overHcer, .lonallian 
ISar^enl; T. Hentoti, collector. 

(iKANHK Oli" V. OK II. 

In Ocloher, 1S7:5, a (irange of tite 
I'ulronH of lluHhiiiulry waa or>{»i>'z»<l hy 
Mr I'arHons, ninnter of the State (TrHnge. 
\V. T. Kik'hy was elected niaater; T. C. 
Torter, overneer; Geo. E. Warner, chap- 
lain; .laincH IJaxter, lecturer; VV, .1. Hicks, 
fc-ate kei'pir ; (! Winnlow, atewanl; B. 
t<o.<«()rth, aHuiHtMht steward; .lohn Oakn, 
H. cr.tary. Mrs. IviKhy, Mrf. Kirk, Mrs 
UuHWorth and Mrs. Baxter were elected to 
till I lie ladies' ollices, 

I'lltST MASONIC l.ODllli:— CKMKTICHV 

I • Ocloher, ISftS, a ni»sonic loiljff* whh 
nii4;nii/.ed. Till- (irMi .illi.. ih were: VV M., 
r I'. lu>»!ers;S. VV., .1. M. Mitchell; .1. 
VV., S. ChurtnartI; Treas. and W. W. 
Wi-lihier, Sec. At a nieetinif of the lod«e 
in the '2(Uh of Ocloher, lS(i(>, upon lli« 
HiikjueHiioii of VV. T. Hinhy, a committee 
«HH appointed to sclut Huitable Kroundn 
fur a cemetery. The committee reported 
on the 'M of Nov«ml>er lollowiiiK, and were 
inBtrucled to tile artielcH of incorporation 



for the lodn<', and in its name to piirchnse 
live and live-sixteenths acres of land in 
section thirty-four, and to have it surveyed 
and platted for a burial plsce, iiniler the 
name of Acaasia cemetery. This wan the 
first j^riund dedicated to that purpose be- 
tween Monticello and St. Cloud. Through 
the ihiluence of this lodt(e, they 
have a hcaiitiful cemeterv with (grounds 
well kej)t, an honor to the lodire and town. 
They have added to the orit'inal plat iinlil 
now they nave about 20 acres. It should 
he an incentive to other towns to follow 
the noble example of this society and town. 
This oriraniz ilion may well feel proud of 
the friiilH of their labors. 

ACKNOWLKUCiMKNT. 

For mu( h of the early history of I^yn- 
den, the writer is indebted to, ami baa 
taken extrHcIs from th« History of the 
Mississippi Valley published in 18KI The 
chapter in that work, jfivinjj the facts a» 
to liVnden, wa-, undoulilwdl v, vrv largely 
the work of the Hon. W. T. Kinby, who 
was one of the early settlers and whs prom- 
inent i I town, county and stale allairs. 

This will en(l the early history of this 
town. Many tliaiik«lo those who have 
asHJstetl in t his work. 

i; T. LYONS. 

B. T. Lyons was one of the early settlers 
of Lymlen. He was born in Yirjjinia in 
1813, near where the famous battle of Bull 
Run was afterwards fought. In 1840 he 
inove<l to Ohio and from there to Illinois 
in 1854. In ISJSll he moved to Lymlen, 
accom|>anied by hi- wife and six sons. He 
look a claim and op>-rnted it until his 
death, which occurred in 188'.l. He held 
the oflice of constable for a number of 
y^ara. His six son* VVm. H., John VV., 
Robert A., James N., Jacob H. and 1). F. 
are all livinif ai the present time (18i)5) 
exceptiim John VV., who died in 1887. 
Two of the sons, James N. and John W. 
weru in the army durini; the rebellion, 
VVm. H , Robt. A., James N. and 1). F. 
are farmiiiK in Lynden. Jacob H. is 
farming in Fair Haven. 



HISTORY OK LVNDEN. 



(>i 



<iIC()I«;iS H WAUNKIt, 

GeoFKts K. Warner was born in the 
province of (iuehec. H« came to Clear- 
water in the Hpriiit: of 1850 He firxttook 
a claim on Maine I'rairic, but Hohl it to 
MoHeH IreiaiKl, and took a claitn in Lyn- 
<ieri, which he ha-- cnllivnted ever Hince. 
HIh wif** joined him in 18''7. Me held the 
office of ctiairman <>f HUjierviHorH for eit;ht 
vearn and justice of the peace for a num- 
ber of yearfi. ile haH been one of Lynden'M 
PUCceBHful farmerH. 

T. IIKA'I'ON. 

T. Heaton waH l)orn in Walerbnry, Vt-r- 
mont, anrl cwrne to Vlinnenoia in IS^fi. He 
began that fitil huildinc the houHe he now 
occiipieH. He han held the oflji-e ofchair- 
man of HupervinorH for a number of yearn. 
He haH eriKHKed in farming and operated 
a tlireMhini; machine "-everal years. He 
liaH a wife and five children. Mr. H. is 
of -A lonu lived family. HIh menial facul- 
ties are Hiili clear. He wmh born in IHi;^. 

OKOUfiE T. CAMIililJ,. 

Georjte T. (/'amht-ll was born in Bontfui, 
Mass., in JH.'Jo. His principal occupation 
was carpentering, which he followed in 
New York and several otber states. He 
came from Boston to Lynden in 1855, 
and took a claim, then returned to New 
York and remained until the fall of IB'Jl. 
Jn AuKUHt, I8t52, he enlisted in Co. E, 8th 
Minnesota Rejiunenl and served <»ne year, 
guarditii; the frontier H(;aiiist the Indians. 
In the spring of 18(j4 be was with General 
Kully's expedition a^^ainst the In<lian'', 
and went south that fall. Mr. Cambell 
and .Vliss Mattie W. Whittemore were 
married in 18(56. Thev have two children. 

ALVtN TOWNSENO. 

Alvin Townsend was born in Pennsyl- 
vania in 1821. He came to the town of 
Lynden in 1855. 

H. A. <;i,iKi'«i:ij. 

H. A. Clifford was born in New Hamj)- 
ehire in 1814, and settled in Lynden 
in 1856. He ojiened up and cul- 
tivated a large farm in an intelligent 
mafiner, and made a success of farming;. 
He was cpiite prominent in town and 



school afiairrt, holding oflices in both town 
and scho(d. 

'I'N.VIAN l-AltCUKK. 

Tnman Parcher was horn in Vermont, 
in 181], and came to Lynden in 1857. He 
held ihe oflice of county comujiHsiriin'r anil 
other important jiositions, hut prefered a 
'|uiet life on his fine farm, 

A C. J'OWEltK. 

Early in the spring of 185G, A. C. 
Powers, of Troy, New York, arrived in 
the town and took a claim. He returned 
to Troy in 1858 and came back to Minne- 
so'a in 1801. He was married in I8t>2 to 
Miss P. (]. Heaton, at the residence of 
her father, T. Heaton. In 1864 he went 
hack to New York and enlisted in a New 
York regiment and participated in sev- 
eral engajfements He served until the 
close of the war. In 1870 he bought a 
house and lot on the north side of the 
Clearwater river and has resided there 
ever since. He has held the repousible 
office of town clerk for about twenty years. 
His town record books are a model of 
neatn(!MS and good order His family con- 
sisted of himsell, wife and one daughter, 
w. r. I'-JKii. 

W. F. Fish was born in Lunenburg, 
Vermont, in 1834. In 1857 he came to 
Minnesota an<l settled on the claim where 
he has lived ever since. He worked for 
government contractors I auling sufiplies 
for the Indians for some lime. In Febru- 
ary, 1865, he enlisted in the Jst Minneso- 
ta Heavy Artillery and wa- mustered out 
and discharged Oct. 9th at Fort Snelling. 
He returned to his farm, built a houoe 
and began life as a farmer. In 1867 he 
married Miss Sarah Townsand. For the 
last twenty years he has turned his atten- 
tion to gardening and is considered the 
champion tomato and melon grower in 
central Minnesota. 

W. r. UKilJY. 

William Tuttir Rigby was born in the 
town of Oxford, Chenango County, N. Y., 
8ept. 14tb, 1824. He was educated in the 
common schools and Academy of his na- 
tive town, and did such mechanical, mer- 



64 



HISTORY OF LYNDEN. 



cantile and common labor as circumstances 
brought to his hand. 

iKi wa * in:iiiied Dec. 11th. 1851, at 
Corning, N. Y., to Miss Mariette Rowley, 
who died Feby 18ib, 1853. He was mar- 
ried again Nov. Ist, 1856, to Miss Susan 
Pearce and immigrated to Minneapolis 
the following May, and to the viUnge of 
Clearwater in June, 1857. Hecommenctd 
farming in 1859 on rented land. In 1864 
he bought sixty-five acres of land in Lyu* 
den, in Dec. 20, and later purchase"! sever- 
al other tracts, making a large and fine 
farm. He removed temporarily to the 
village of Clearwater in t^je spring of 
1892, and in June 1895 adopted it as his 
permanent abode. The' farm is now 
owned and occupied by his youngest son, 
C. T. Rigby. By his second marriage 
two sons and two daughters are living, the 
eldest, W. S. Rigby at E^u Claire Wis., 
the eldest daughter, Mavi E. married Col. 
S. B. McGuire, of Minneapolis, and the 
youngest daughter, Carrie M. married 
Charles Finch of Tioga Co., N. Y. 

The subject of this sketch was elected a 
member of the Legislature for the year 
1864, and re-e'ected f)r 1865, and has held 
the ofBee of justice of the peace and mem- 
ber of the Board of Education for Clear- 
water graded school for twenty-four and 
twenty-one years respectively in succes- 
sion, and is now the village postmaster. 

CIIAKLES WIIITEMORK. 

Charles Whitemore was born in Dublin, 
New Hampshire, in 1812, and arrived in 
the town in May, 1861, and bought a farm 
and erected a house that fall. He was ac- 
compaDied by his wife and eight children. 



He improved and briai;tifi.-d his fxrm by 
Setting out trees and building good homes 
and barns until the place has become a. 
well known land mark. He has been an 
extensive cattle feeder, shipping several 
car loads of fat cattle each spring. About 
sixteen years ago hi« sons, Joseoh and 
Charles D. VVhilemore, bought the farm 
from their father, and have ^ince carried 
it on in the same intelligent manner. 

.lAMES COLGROVE. 

James Colgrove was born in Hornells- 
ville, N. Y., in 1841. H arrived in Lyn- 
den in 1866 and bought a la rare tract of 
land. He taught school for a nuiuber of 
years and then began improving and till- 
ing bis farm. His principal line in farm- 
ing has been the feeding and fattening of 
cattle, shipping several car loads each 
year to eastern markets. His beautiful 
and highly cultivated farm indicates a 
practical and intelligent supervision. He 
has taken a deep interest in public affairs 
and has held prominent town and school 
oflBces most of the tiuie since he became a 
resident of the town. He has invented and 
perfected a two horse potato diggf-r that 
will undoubtedly revolutionize potato dig- 
ging- 
it. C. BARRETT. 

Among the later arrivals in the town 
was H. C. Barrett, who was born in Bat- 
tleborough, Vermont, in 1834. His occu- 
pation was farming and carpentering. He 
came to Clearwater in 1861, but in 1866 
bough a farm in Lynden and moved onto 
it and cultivated it twenty-five years. He 
wa" justice of the perce and member of 
the school board for a long time. 



History of Eden Lake 



By E. H. ATWOOD. 



In writing; up the early history of Eden 
Lake, as well as of many other towns, the 
histori in has to depend largely upon the 
memory of the earlj settlers for the many 
farls and incidents necessarily required to 
faithfully portray the condition of the 
people and country in the pioneer days. 
Unfortunately the troublous times during 
the Sioux outbreak, and the anxious years 
of the Southern rebellion have tended to 
crowd out and nearly obliterate from 
memory the manv exciting scenes and in- 
cidents that occurred prior to 1862. When 
one of the early pioneers is requested to 
recount some of the events that iranopired 
in the early days of their settletn^^nt they 
have at 6rst nothing to tell. The pages of 
memory of those days, so long ago, have 
grown dim. They have been laid away so 
long and have not been thought of for so 
many years that it needs something to 
bring them out ; something to open up and 
bring out those dark pages of memorj 
from their long slumber. A few questions 
skillfully put by the historian revives 
and briifhtens the memory and vividly 
recalls to Mjind the many scenes and inci- 
dents ot thei*- e^^lv days. They are thus 
enabled to recount the history of the 
earlv settlement of the town. They can 
tell of iheir privations and hardshipM, 
their struggles to overcome the m my nh- 
Btacles encountered in a new country witti- 
out roads or bridges, without mills to 



grind their wheat or corn, and with no 
railroads within hundreds of miles, mak- 
ing it necessary to haul all of their sup- 
plies, except such as they raised on their 
farms, by teams a hundred miles over 
poor roads. Now they can remember and 
will tell of their primitive modes of farm- 
ing, with poor plows and home made har- 
rows, made with an ax, saw and auger. 
The harrow into which wooden teeth were 
inserted was hewn from a small tree. 
They cut their grain with a cradle, and 
their grass with a snythe, raking it by 
hand. Baggies and spring wagons were 
almost unknown. But wooden springs 
were hewed out and fastened in their lum- 
ber wagons and a board placed 
across them for a seat. Mr. A. 
Swisher recounts the manner of 
making roads in that early day. The resi- 
dents were assessed four days poll tax 
which they worked out on the roade be- 
sides many days of volunteer work. For 
many years there were few, if any, legallj 
laid out roads. The easiest route was 
selected for roads without regard to lines. 
If they could not pass around trees they 
cut them down low enough for a sled to 
pass over. If a ro:id could not be made 
around a marsh or mud hole, a corduroy 
bridge was made by placing logs close to- 
gether across the wet places and covered 
with a few brush and .<ome earth. These 
roads were barely passable, and were very 



66 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



crooked, and .i« the 1 md was bouifht up 
and improved, the ownerH obji'Cted having 
them meanderintr over their Innd, po thej 
had to be changed nod siade over. 

Mr. W. T. Mills tells of the Ion? time 
it took him to rut or swamp a road to his 
claim. It took a stronn wagon, a power- 
ful te;iiM and slow and careful drivi g in 
tho«e dnys tn hHiil a 1 ad over these roadn. 
The writer ban a vivid recoi d tion of a 
ride over these roads on a bi>b sled one 
wint r with the Hon. D. J. Hansrom a* 
driver and owner of the rig. We were in 
a hurry to get to the Grange meeting at 
the school house. The horsee were not 
shod and the roads were icy and when the 
horces' feet caiue down upon th'- road they 
did not remain vvhere they were placed 
but slid out in different directions, giving 
the hor'^es the appearance of diincing a 
double schufHe. While swiftly circling 
around one big tree and suddenly wheel- 
ing to the right to dodge another the run- 
ners of the bobsled wouM at the same time 
run up on the roots of still another, ncHr- 
ly pitching u« oat. However, running 
over a log on the other side wciihl u-Ui'ly 
right Hfl up again. The Hon. gentleman 
did not seem to mind this rough riding. 
It must take sevt-ral yeirs' practice to he- 
come so used to such roads as to erg >y fa-t 
riding over them. But tne same gentle- 
man can now enjoy riding over fine roads 
through the town in a 6ne carriage be 
hind a spirited horse. Everything couies 
to him who waits. 

The following verpe is taken from Eu- 
gene Fiehi's description of the road to 
Bumpville, which fairly depcril)es the 
roads in Eden Lake in its early days: 
"Its biimpt)- bump and its jiggty jog, 

Journeying on to Bumpville. 
It's over the hill tops and down through the bog, 

You ride on your why to Bumpville. 
It's rattlety bang over boulder and stump; 

There are rivers to ford and (ences to jump, 
And the corduroy road ii goes bumptybump. 

Mile after mile to Bumpville." 

The town of Eden Lake is situated on 
the south line of Stearns countv witli tie 
towns of Paynesville on the west and Lux- 



emburg on the east. Nearly one-third of 
the northern psrt of the township is 
prairie while the rest of the town has been 
covered with a heavy growth of timber. 
In 1895 a large part of this limber had 
been cleared off' and the land turned into 
beautiful farms with substantial houses 
and mxny large comn oliou-" horns and 
out biiildings. The curface ix undulHtii g 
hut the soil, especinlly in the soutliern 
two-thirds, is verv fertile. It is believed 
that the 8)11 of E ien Lake is the best 
adapted for dairy purposes of any town in 
the county. Its rich soil, its hills and 
vallt'ys, its splendid natural meadowu, its 
adaptability for the raising of ;ill of the 
tame grasg-s, indicate that the town will 
in the near fuiure become the leading 
dairy town of the county. Already many 
of the intelligent and progressive farmers 
■^f the town «re gradunlly making prep- 
arations for a cha- gefrom grain raining to 
dairy farming. Many believe that their 
soil is hettter adapted to clover and the 
tame sjra-ses than it is to grain, although 
they raise large crcpH of all the different 
kinds of cerealn. A creamery tias been 
siwrted in Eden V.illey and is beginning 
to he well patroniz d. In anticipation of 
the change from grain farming lo dairy- 
ing, some fanners wre gradually breeding 
into a class of cattle that are better adapt- 
ed for milk and butter than those they 
now have. 

What a contrHst there is between the 
Eden Like of to-d«y .itnl thnt same terri- 
tory thirty-five years ago. Now are found 
Inrge cietred and well cultivated farms 
with tloe buildiuk'S, and with pastures 
where lar_e herds of cattle and other do- 
mestic animals gr:i/.« in contentment. 
There are now fine, well-kept roadti 
through the town. Bui go btek thirty- 
five years. Tliis township and the luwn- 
nhip of Vlunson formed oi^e town. Thern 
was iHic a ro td in the township, and only 
two or three houses on the extreme north 
line. Two-thirds of the township was then 
an almost unbroken and uninhabited 
wilderness, and the first settlers found 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



67 



it a longr and t.pHions undertflking to 
swamp a road throuijh ihe wilderness of 
fallen timbpr and over wet marshep, 8<> 
that they couM get a team tliroutjh wiih a 
load of hoiisehold goods, and thus move 
their familieB to the places where they 
had located their elaims. 

There are sevtral beantifiil lakes in the 
town that are well supplied with several 
varieties of fish. The lartjest of these 
lakes is calleii R ce L-ike. The others are 
E len, Pi< z, Brown, Vails and Long lakes. 
It is cUimed that Charles Holifer was the 
first to settle in the town. He settled in 
the north part in 1856, and was followed 
that same year by Frt-d Ht-rberger. The 
next year, B. Pirz and 'Ernst Holifer 
took clniins in the northern part of the 
town. In 1858 Anton Huschle and Henry 
Boyer were amont; the arrivals. The next 
yenr John Meverle and Thomas Thomatz 
seitlt'd in the northern part of the town, 
ami D. J. Hanscom, who was the first 
American to locate here, took the first 
claim in the southern portion. The next 
year Hurley Clark took a claim adjoining 
Mr. Hanscom. He was accompanied by 
two sons and a daughter. John P. Meyer, 
Geo. Weis, Michsel Weis and Mat Wfis 
settle in the northern part of the town in 
1860 There is no record of any more ar- 
rivals until 1863, when Harman Flint ar- 
rived. In 1864 Thomas A. Allyn and 
family, Geo. Nichols and A. Nichols ar- 
rived »nd took claims. In 1865 J. S. 
Reeves with his wife and three sons and 
ooe daughter, F. B. £imi<h, A. Swisher 
and f»milv, Goin Hatuilton, C. P. Rus- 
sell, Wm. and Horace Vail, Adam Eppen- 
berger and Mortjan Driver came in and 
took claims. In 1866 the following were 
among the new arrivals: P. Vanblarigan 
VVru. Marquett, Silas ('os-airt, James 
Jones, W. T. Mills, R. McGuire, R,:.v. 
Wilkins. In 1867 L. S. Bennett ai rived 
and took a claim and W. R. Hoskinscame 
in 1868. 

Ttie territory coiiprising the town of 
Eden Lake was a part of the disjtnted 
hunting ground between the great Sioux 



nation of Indians and the Chippewas. The 
Sioux claimed the territory as exclusively 
their own for bunting purposes, as far 
north as several miles north of St. Cloud. 
But the Chippewas often ventured upon 
this ground to hunt and often lost scalps 
by their temerity. 

In the spring of 1857 a party of six 
Chippewas were hunting in the vicinity 
of Rice Lake and had their camp near the 
shore. The Sioux no <n discovered them 
and succeeded in killing and scalping one 
of the Chippewas and caplur'ng their 
camp The other five fled and escaped. 
That fall eight Chippewas came there to 
hunt. Samuel Wakefield had a t=mall 
shanty without any floor but the ground. 
B Pirz had his shanty about one mile 
Irom Wakefield's. These Indians can)e to 
Wakefield's shanty to sleep at night. It 
is a custom among the Germans to fire off' 
guns Christmas eve and New Years at 
midnight. B. Pirz had an old fashioned 
six shooter and coDcluded to inaugurate 
the old country custom in his new home, 
so at midnight he fired ofT the six shots. 
The Chippewas were sleeping on tho 
floor of Wakefield's shaotv. They heird 
the shots and sprang to their feet shout- 
ing "Sioux! Siouy!" and grabbing their 
guns bounded out into the darkness, and 
such was their fearful dread of their 
enemy that they never stopped their wild 
flik'ht until they were safe in their own 
countrv. Up to the year 1864 there were 
only a fe settlers on the north line of 
the town, and two or three in the southern 
part. 

In 1862, at the beginning of the Sioux 
outbreak, Harley Clark's was the only 
family in the south p*rt of the town. He 
took his family to .Maine Prairie and then 
to Minneapolis and remained awav until 
fall. There were about six German fam- 
ilies in the north part of the town that 
remained at home for some time, but 
when Paynesville was attacked thev fled 
to Mr. Middendorf's house near Rich- 
n)ond. On the second ' ight, towards 
morning some Indians fired at the house. 



68 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



The shot could be hfard rattliriK against 
the building. The me inside made a 
great uoifle and the Indians were fright- 
ened and ran away. 

In 18G3, althouKb the Indians com- 
mitted no depredations in the town, it 
was known that small parties of i*ioux 
were in the neighboring towns and that 
they might inike a raid into their town 
at any lime. Ro the people were kept in 
a state of uneasiness during a large part 
of tl at summer. 

In the latter part of the year 1806 the 
inhabitants of the township which is now 
Eden Lake, but which then was a part of 
the town of Munson, believing that there 
were enough inhabitants in their town- 
nhip to organize a separate town, obtained 
the necessary authority from the Board of 
County Commissioners to meet and or- 
ganize by electing the necessary town 
officers. Accordingly they held a special 
meeting for that purpose. The following 
is taken from the first town records: 

".Minutes of special town meeting held 
Feb. IGih, 1867, for the purpose of organiz- 
ing the town of Eden Lake, Stearns 
county, Minn. Harley Clark was chosen 
clerk, T. R. McGuire, Moderator. W. 
T. Mills, J. Farrer and James lones were 
chosen judges of election. The following 
officers were elected: Supervisors: W. 
T. Mills, Chairman, and T. R. McGuire 
and Earnest Holifer. Clerk, D.J.Hans- 
com; Assessor, C. P. Russell; Treasurer, 
Thomas A. Allyn; Justice of the Peace, 
James Jones anrf B. Pirz; Constables, 
Goin Hamilton and Wm. Marqnett. 

IIaklky Cl.xrk, clerk of the meeting. 

"Minutes of the first annual Town njeet- 
ing held in Eden Lake, at the house of 
Wm. Marquet, on Tuesday the 7th day of 
April, 1867. C. P. Russell was elected 
and iworn in as moderator. Horace Vail 
was a|)p<)inted and sw rn in as jndgf of 
the town meeting to fill a vacancy. The 
electors voted to raise a tax of three mills 
on the dollar for town revenue. The fol- 
lowing persons were elected to office. 
Supervisors, W. T. Mills, chairman; T. 



R. McGuire and Enrnest Holifer; D. J. 
Hanscorn, clerk ; (J. P. Russell, afsesnor; 
W. T. Mill- and B. Pirz, justices of the 
peace; Wm, Marquett and Ernst Holifer, 
constables; Goin Hamilton, treamrer. 
The vote for division of the town, 13. 
Aeainst division of the town, 24. 

D. J. Hanscom, Town Clerk. 

At a meeting of the su ervisors April 
23rd, 1867, four days poll tax was assessied 
to each man liable to do highway lalior. 

At the second imnual town meeting held 
April 7th, 1868, the following by-laws were 



"That all cattle, sheep, hogs, asses and 
horses shall be allowed to run at large be- 
tween the first day of April and the loth 
(lay "f October of each year. That a fence 
to be lawful shall be f^ix rails high and a 
rider, or eight rails high, the rails to be 
four inches apart. 

D. J. Hanscom, Town Clerk." 

Many of the church and school records 
prior to 1864 are either lo-t or were not 
kept as they can be found only in the 
memory of the early settlers, and as these 
people are aged, it will not be lontr before 
they will have passed away an I these 
valuable records will be lost to the world, 
unless secured soon. 

EDKN L.VKE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 

The first Hcliool district in Eden Lake 
was No. 19. It was organized in 1865. 
The firpt officers were: John Leind'^cker, 
director; Charles Holifer, treasurer; B. 
Pirz, derk. The first teacher was B. Pirz 
in 1865, antl the second teacher was Tobias 
Sleeper in 1866. The school house was 
built in 1865. The territory comprising 
this district included all of the present 
town <if Eden Lake and one tierof sections 
on the south side of Munson. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT 68. 

This district whs organized in 1869, and 
the school house was built the next year. 
The first officers elected were: C. P. Rus- 
sell, clerk ; W. T. Mill^, director; D. J. 
Hanncou), treasurer 

Miss Lizzie Abbott tautrht the first school 
in 1S70, beginning July 25th. Mrs. Mar- 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



69 



garet Wjoings taught the same school the 
next winter Mrs. D. J. Hascom, who 
was Mips Lizzie Abbott before marriage, 
taught the 3<1 term in the winter of 1871-2. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 69. 
School District No. 69 was organized 
about the year 1870 and its farst officers 
were .John Cosnairt, Silas Cossairt and 
James Jones. Mifs Cordelia Day, of 
Maine Prairie, taught the first school in 
1871, and ''irs. Wyninus tn tight the two 
irext -tiirms. Miss Mary Greelv, (now 
Mrs. W. F. Street.) of Maine Prairie, 
taught the school in 1876. The officers 
then w» r • A. Swisher, trt-anurer; Noah 
WiifS. <)irec'or; John Welliver, clerk; 
Mrs. Street gives a v«-ry interesting ac- 
count of the condition of the town at that 
time. She says that Mr. Welliver, the 
Clerk, t<dd her that sht- looked too young 
to teach such a large school, but handed 
her H slate and pencil and said if you will 
tiraw a townnhip plat and put in all the 
sections numbered corrtctly, you can have 
the f'chool It look her but a few minutes 
to properly iiraw the town-hip ard thus 
secured the school. She taught this school 
two terms. There was no store nearer 
than Mannanah, and the neartst railtoad 
was at Litchfield. They had a weekly 
mail. Mr Reeves was postmaster, aid 
Willium Hohkins carried the mail from 
Cold Spring. Elder Shoemaker, of Maine 
Prairie, canie out orcHsionally lo preach. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 77. 

Thi« district was organized in 1884, and 
at its first school meeting in July, 1885, 
the following officers were ele<ied Mich. 
O'Brien, director; Jolm W Driver, treas- 
urer; Curtis Robbins, clerk. i he school 
houHe was built that year and MisB Ada 
Dye taugh» the two first terms. Hatti* 
Rogers was the next teacher 

EDEN LAKE CHURCHES. 

In 1875 Rev ('. Scoti organiz-d an as- 
sociation called the ( hurch o( God. Their 
first minister was Rev. S. P. Matheny, 
who < fficiat»-d two years and was utilowed 
by Revs. Jiid. RHymond,Wm. Parsons, O. 
R Jenks and E. E. Torms. The church 



building was erected in 1892, but is aot 
yet completed or dedicated. They held 
their meetings in private houses and 
school houses until the church was built. 
The first officers were. Elders, W. T- 
.Vlilis and D. J. Hanscom. The first dea- 
cons were Morgan Driver and H. W. 
Welliver. There are now, in 1895, about 
one hundred members in good standing be- 
longing to this church. 

CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 

The first Christian church of Eden Lake 
was organized in 1869 by the Rev. Wm. 
Cameron. They had no church building, 
but held their meetings in private houses 
and had for some time quite a flourishing 
organization, but for many causes the or- 
ganization was discontinued, and in 1887 
the present Christian church oiganization 
was complet<-d and a church building 
erected in the village of Eden Valley just 
over the line in Meeker county. The first 
trustees were J. H. Reeves, F. B. Smith, 
Ursom White, S. Cossairt, J. G. Reeves 
and J. S. Reeves. The first elders were 
L. Rails and Ursom White. The first 
deacons were F. B. Smith and J. H. 
Reeves. Rt-v. John Truax was their first 
minis er, followed by W. W. Pew and at 
prisent Rev. J. A. Grice is officiating. 
CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

In 1894 the Catholit? church of Eden 
Valley was organiz-d and their church 
building built and finished at a cost of 
about $10,000. At>out seventy-five fam- 
ilies attend the churcK. The first officers 
when organized were tliree trustees named 
M. E. Weiler, Jacob Hammes and Ptt*r 
Hunsoti. T.ie chureti was incorporated in 
1895. Its present laymen are Jacob 
Hammes an * Peter Hanson. 

KDEN LAKE PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. 

In 1874 a Grange of the Patrons of Hus- 
bandry was organizt^d with D J. Hans- 
com, master; Elihu Swisher, treasurer; 
and John Willoby, secretary. This was an 
organization of farmers and their wives 
and sons and daughters. Phis society was 
kept up for a number of years. The meet- 
ings of the Grange were pleasant and 



70 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



benefirial to its memht-rfl in msny way?. 
It proiuott'fl social intt-rcourse i»nH benefit- 
ed them fiiiHiiciNlly and intelleoiually and 
the oil menjbern rettret ihtit itwasulIow«d 
to die out. 

LITERARY SOCIETIES. 

During the lonjf winter nionthH in the 
new Hetllftiient, literary Rocietiefi were 
formed. Tiie«e onianiziiions were rather 
prinrjitive. But at stated intervals they 
would have s'lme literary entertainnaent, 
Buoh as debntef, enpavs, recitations, Ac, 
These were kept up for many Tears. 

This endt« the early history of Edeu 
Lake. The writer teniK-rn hi« thnnks to 
the manv cilizenB of that town who have 
assidted in this work. 

The following brief biograiihioHl sketch ee 
all refer to the pioneers of Eden Lske: 

BAKTHOLOME PERZ. 

B. Perz was one of the first to settle in 
the northern part of Elen Lake. He has 
been closely identified *ith all of the town 
affairs. He was born in Austria in 1819. 
His ocrupxtion, after he had finished his 
education, was bookkeeper in jjovtrnment 
position. He came to Minnesota in 1854 
and settled at Sauk Rapids. The next 
year he went to Cold Sprinjr, where he re- 
mained two years and then took a claim 
in Eden Lake. The next year he married 
Miss Johanna 1 1. •liter, and then settled on 
his claim and li- jjan improving it. In 
1860 he went to Pike's Peak and New 
Mexico ."nd engaged in mining for three 
jears. He then returned and bought his 
present farm in sections 5 and 6. He was 
appointed superintendent of common 
Bchools to fill a vacancy, caused by the 
death of the superintendent, Dr. Tolman. 
He represented his district in the legisla- 
ture two terms, from 1873 to 1875, and 
with the exception of five years he has 
be«n county commissioner from 1806 to 
1896, as well as a member of the town and 
school boards. He taught the first school 
in his school district in 1865. His chil- 
dren are Josephine, Magdaline, Joseph, 
Angeline and John. 



D.J. UANSCOM. 

The history of Eden Lake would be in- 
complete without tbe mention of D. J. 
Hanscom, who has been closely identified 
with the town since its earliest settlement. 
Mr. Hanscom was Jmrn in York county, 
Maine, Aug. 23.1, 1833. He engaged in 
agricultural pur^uit'^ until he was 19 years 
!«' Hge, when he engaged for three years 
in ilie mer('antile business. In 185G he 
come to Wisconsin, and the next year to 
St. Paul and engaueii in the lumber busi- 
ness until 1859. when he located a claim 
in Eden Like, being the first American 
settler in the town. In 1861 he enlisted 
in Company D, 4th regiment, and re- 
mained wiih the legimenl until 1864, when 
he was honorably discharged. Returning 
to Eden Lake be took the homstexd on 
which he still resides He was the firnt 
town clerk ill the town and ret lined that 
office for ten years He was al-o asHessor 
for 8 years supervisor 14 years, and treas- 
urer 15 years. Besides this he nas been 
on the school board 25 years. He repre- 
sented bis district in the legislamre in 
1881. Mr. Hanscom and Mi-s Lizzie 
Abbott were married Feb 221 1871. Their 
children's names >'re Geo., E. Stella L. 
and Ella S. 

FRANK 15. SMITH 

F'rarik B Smith, although one ot the 
later arrivals in town, haf been very prom- 
inent in all town affairs. He was born in 
Vermillion county, Illinois, in 1849, and 
grew up to manhood on a farm. In 1865 
be came to Minnesota, but returned af(er 
a two years sojourn. In 1875 he again 
sought the fertile lands of Eden Lake and 
bought and improved a farm, and in 1881 
Mr. Smith and Mifs Julia E. Maxwell 
were married. Thev now have two chil- 
dren. Mr. Smith has held responsible ef- 
fices in town and Kcbool boards almost 
since residence in the town. He was town 
clerk three years, asHessor eleven years, 
supervisor one year and was a member of 
the school board many years and at pres- 
ent is president of the village council of 
Eden Lake. He was a prominent mem- 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



71 



her of the Patrons of Husbandly. When 
he bouffht his farm it was in the wilds of 
Kden Valley with roads so bud they were 
traveled with difficulty. Now this same 
farm i« a pirt of the fl >urishing village of 
Eden Valley and many trains pass 
in sight of his house on the " 00." rail- 
road. 

A. SWISHEE. 

A Swisher was born in Vermillion roun- 
ty, Illinois, in 1821, arid whh brought up 
as a farmer. In 1865 he cnme t>> Eden 
Lake and bought a farm and improved it, 
and has remained on it ever since. The 
village of Eden Lake has ah-orbe"! his 
land and he is now a re>*i<)ent of that vil- 
latte although living in the same house 
that he built in 1867 when there were no 
roids fit to be cilied by that name in the 
town. 

SILAS COSSAIRT 

Silas Cossairt was born in Vermillion 
county, Illinois, in 1837. Farming was 
his principal occupation. In 1865 he 
moved to Maine Prairie, Minn , and to 
E'len Lake the next year. He took a 
claim of 160 acres and boujrht 80 acres 
more. He has improved and operated his 
farm ever since. ne married Aivira 
Swisher in 1860 and had three childreii 
when he arrived in the town viz: Mary B., 
Samuel and Geo. D. Mr. Cosnairt hai- 
be»n quite a traveler. He has been a 
member of the town and school boards 
many years and is now a member of 
the council of Eden Valley. 

The following brief biographical sketches 
all refer to the pioneers of Eden Like: 
QOIN HAMILTON. 

In 1865 Goin Hamilton arrived in Eden 
Lake and entered 160 acres uf land, which 
he improved, but sold that and bought bis 
present farm, where he still resides. Mr. 
Hamilt(>n's life has been an active OLe 
and he has seen much of the world as a 
citizen and as a soldier. He was born in 
the north of Ireland in 1825. The busi- 
ness of hiB younger days was a bleacher of 
linen. He came to New York in 1845 
and worked in several states, but when the 



Mexican war broke out he enlisted in the 
regular army, and served in Mexico and 
on the Pacific coast. After his time ex- 
pired in the army he worked in the gold 
mines of California for a number of years. 
He enlisted and served two years in the 
rebellion and re-enlisted as a veteran. 
After his checkered career he settled down 
and is operating his farm in an intelligent 
iDanner. 

MORGAN DRIVER. 

Morgan Driver was born in Randolph 
county, Indiana, in 1828, and was brought 
up on a farm. He has worked ocasion- 
ally at shoernaking, but farming has been 
his principal occupation. In 1862 he en- 
listed in an Indiana regiment, served until 
the close of the wfr, anri was discharged 
in 1865. He came to Eden Lake the same 
year. Mr Driver and Miss Mary A. 
Hedrich were married in 1856. When 
they arrived at Eden Lake in 1865 they 
were accompanied by their two «ons, John 
W. and Morgan F., and their daui?hler 
Mary A These children are all married 
now. Mr. Driver took a homestead in 
1865 and still lives upon it. Mr. Driver 
preferred to live a quiet life but consented 
to act on the school board. 

L. S. BENNETT. 

L. S. Bennett was born in Ohi© in 1833 
and came to Minnesota in 1856 and settled 
in ' e Sueur county, but in 1867 he and bis 
wife came to Eden Lake and took a claim 
which he improved and operated until his 
death in 1893. His children, Angelette, 
Delila, Charles, Nancy, Alfred, Matilda 
and Angeline, accompanied them to this 
place. All of these children except 
Matilda, who is dead, are alive and mar- 
ried, Mrs. Bennett's maiden name was 
Miss Elizabeth Woodfield. 

J. S. REEVES. 

J. S. Reeves was born in Ohio in 1832. 
When quite a small boy he moved with 
his parents to Indiana. Mr. Reeves and 
Miss Martha J. Campbell were married 
in 1853. He came to Minnesota in 1862 
and settled in Omstead county. That fall 
be enlisted in Brackett's Battalion and 



7^ 



HISTORY OF EDEN LAKE. 



served on the f ontier until 1865 He 
cnme to Stearns county in the fall of 1865 
and Settled in E<ien L'tke. His three ponp, 
J. H., J. G. and Wm. M., and hi» 
dauebter, Anna J , accompanied him. 
They are all now (in 1895) living at or 
near Eden Valley. J. H. is a grain buyer 
at Eden Vallev. J. G. has charge of the 
grain elev <ior at Kimball. Wm. M. is 
taking a four year's course at (he North 
Western Christian CoUeite. Anna J. 
married Mr. Wm. Workman. 

W. T. MILLS. 

W. T. Mills has been quite prominent 
in the aflfairB of Eden Lnke. He was born 
in Randolph couaty, Indiana, in 1834, and 
has been a farmer all his life, except three 
yeara, in which he engaged in the dry 
goods business. In 1866 he came to EHen 
Lake with bis wife and two sons, Wm. R. 
and Noah r' , and daugoter, Abigal J. 
The two eons are married and living on 
farms near the homestead. Mr. Mills has 
held the office of chairman of supervisors 
nearly ever since he came here, being the 
first chairman of the town. He baa also 
been a member of the school boird twenty- 
five years. He has followed an intelligent 



plan of diversified farming, which has been 
(juite successful. 

W. R. HOSKINS 
W. R. Hoskins was horn in Vermillion 
county, Illinois, in 1831, his parents being 
farmers. He came from there to Eden 
Lake in 1868 and took a claim r)f 160 acrts, 
which he has improvid and operated ever 
wincf-. His principal line in farming was 
raising catlie and horses as well as grnin. 
He has been a member of the school board 
fur munv years. His farm shows careful 
and intelligent cultivation. 

JAMES JONES. 

James Jones, one of Eden Lake's pro- 
gressive farm- rs, was horn in Randolph 
county, Indiana, in 1838. He enlisted in 
the armv in 1864 and served two years 
and three months, and was mustered out 
in 1866. He thm came to Eden Lake, 
taking a homestead of 160 acres and buy- 
ing 20 acres more. He has inipr >ved this 
farm and raised large numbers of horses 
and cattle, besides hay and grain. He was 
one of the first justices of the peace in the 
town and has been a member of the town 
and school boards. 



History of Payncsville. 



By E. H. ATWOOD. 



The to-vn of Pavnesville is situated in 
thtt fioulhwePtem part of Stearns county. 
Near the center of the town is the present 
incorported village of Paynesville. The 
surface of the town is rather level prairie 
in the northern pari, while the southern 
part ie undulating and prior to settlement 
was covered with brush and timber. The 
northwestern part is rolling prairie. The 
soil varies from a light sandy to a dark 
rich loam, with a clay unbsoil, and is very 
fertile. The N(jrth Fork of the Crow 
River enters the town in section 18, and 
flows in aB easterly and southerly direc- 
tion, epieririg Like Koronis in section 35 
This lake is quite large with several beau- 
tiful islands. It lies in the southern part 
of the town and extends into Meeker coun- 
ty. It is a picturesque lake with its 
islands, its many bays and indentations, 
its bold wooded promontories and low 
grassy nooks, and ever changing panorama 
of shore and islands which it presents to 
those coasting around it. Its beauties to- 
gether with the invigorating and health- 
giving atmosphere which obtains in 
this region cannot fail to make Lake 
Koronis one of the famous and ideal 
watering places and healthful resorts in 
Minnesota. 

Tradition says that the honoi of making 
the first claims in the town belong to 
Messrs. McCormach and Bullard. They 
located the first townsite in Paynesville in 



1856; but when the town was surveyed and 
subdivided in the following spring it was 
found that they had located on section six- 
teen, and this being a school section, could 
not be taken as a townsite and so of course 
had to be abandoned. The honor of mak- 
ing the firft permanent claim in the town 
belongs to Edwia E. Payne who settled on 
section seventeen but a short distance from 
where McCormach and Bullard had lo- 
cated their claim. 

During the summer of 1857 a postoffice 
was established in the village and E. E. 
Payne was appointed postmaster. The 
mail was carried by Mr. Evans on foot 
from Traves-de-Sioux to St. Cloud via 
Paynesville once a week, 

Mr. Payne was followed the same sum- 
mer, 1857, by J. E. Pease, Geo. Lincoln, 
W. P. Bennett, Richard Porter, Dwight 
Twitchel, T. C. McClure, J. H. Boylan, 
John Boylan, August Smith, John Baiten- 
ger, and Fred Herberger. The two latter 
settled in the eastern part of the town; the 
others at or near the village. Elder C. S. 
Harrison, a Congregational minister, be- 
gan preaching at Paynesville this year, 
being the first minister in th« place. He 
held his meetings in private houses until 
a school house was built several years 
later. That fall Grace Lincoln was gladly 
welcomed as the first child born in the new 
settlement. 

The townsite of Paynesville was located 



74 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILLE. 



by E. E. Payne in 1857. Soon after a 
townsite company waB organized, consist- 
ing of T. C. McClure, H. C. Waite, E. E. 
Payne, O. b. Freeman and Mr. Parks. 
The townsite was surveyed and platted 
that summer by E. ii. Payne. O. S. Free- 
man, W. P. Bennett and D. Twitchel 
erected houses on it that summer. The 
towHBite compaay failed to fulfill th^ir 
part of the proceedings necessary to hold 
it as a townsite and the land was sold at 
the government land sale in October, 1860. 
It was bid in by Robert Blakely who soon 
after deeded it to Waite and >icClure. 
The original townsite was then vacated, 
and in 1861 about one-half of the original 
was surveyed and platted by John 
filakely. 

Among the new arrivals in 1858 were 
Hugh Blakely, John Blakely, N. M. 
Freeman, Stephen Harris, Luther brown, 
Christopher Weasel and Christian Rien. 
Later arrivals were Gottlieb Knebel, 
Michael Schults, Angust Knebel and An- 
drew Eckemeir. 

Among the arrivals in 1859 was Daniel 
Chisholm. 

During the winter of 1859-60 the settlers 
had somewhat improved their conditions. 
Such food as they could raise was abund- 
ant, but the cost of hauling goods by team 
from St. Anilinnv made it difficult to ob- 
tain them. Therefore nearly all luxuries 
of the table were dispensed with. In 
March of 1860 occurred the first death in 
the new settlement, that of Luther Brown. 
The community was small in numbersand 
his loss was deeply felt bv all. 

Among the arrivals in the new settle- 
ment in 1860 were Christ. Helmer, Fred 
Schroeder, Anton Wartenberg, Fred 
GedoBch, Wilhelm Helmer, George W. 
Prior, S. P. Roach and Lyman Reed. 

In 1861 Edward H, Bates settled in the 
town and opened the first blacksmith shop. 
This was greatly needed in this far ofl 
frontier town. 

The first crop of grain that amounted to 
much was grown in 1860, and that fail 
and earlv winter the first threshing ma- 



chine ever operated in the town was owned 
and run by \Vm. Maybee and his brother- 
in-law, Mr. Wm. Lee. Mr. Maybee was 
afterwards killed by the Indians at Man- 
nanah in 1862. The settlers were obliged 
to haul their grain to St. Cloud, a distance 
of thirty-three to forty miles, and had to 
KO to the same place for their dry goods 
and groceries. Until 1861 the nearest 
blacksmith shop was at Jacob's Prairie, a 
distance of over twenty miles, and the 
nearest st' re was at St. Joe, twenty-six 
tnilea away. 

In the e»rly days the merchants ex- 
changed their goods for etrgs and bntltr, 
which they sent to St. Paul. For a num- 
ber of vars there was quite a demand for 
some wheat and a large quantity of oats 
at Cold Spring to supply the n^-w settlers 
on the Red River and otht^r localities to 
the west, until they could raise them 
themselves. During the Indirin war in 
1862 to 1864, there was a good market at 
home for oats, at fair prices, to feed the 
government horses, stationed at d'fferent 
frontier towns Then in 1864 there was a 
a rush of immigrants to the Red River 
and the counties west of Stearns Their 
needs fur'UNhed a good market Hfor 
all kinds of produce. 

The Paynesville people found a good 
sale for their produce at Sauk Centrr, 
from whence it was shipped to the new 
settlements. 

When the railroad was built to the 
south they hauled their produce there. 
In the early days when the people gen- 
erally uaed oxen, it took three to fourdays 
to go to St. (^loud. In summer they 
camped out while on these journeys, 
sleeping under the wagon. These trips 
were quite notable events. When anyone 
intended to make the journey it would be 
known several davs beforehand, and many 
of their neighbors would send by them for 
things they needed. One would want to 
send eggs to be exchanged fer groceries, 
others wanted dry goods and all sorts of 
things, 80 that the departure or return of 
a settler from one of these trips was quite 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILE. 



75 



an inipoitant matter. It i8 claimed tlmi 
the {)eo|)le in those days were more neigh- 
borly, hospitable find erenerouB. There 
WHS no Blealinsj and but very littl» qii rrt I- 

The people were happy and cheerful 
and looked hopefully forward for a 
brighter future. 

Th*' spring of 1861 found the cnnc'itioh 
of the pioneers in ami around Paynfsville 
somewhat improved, aftt-r four I"p<; yenr" 
of the hardships and privations that usu- 
ally befnll the first settlers on the frontier 
of a new country. So far it had been a 
lontf, }inrd struirtfle to «nbdue the wild 
land and bring it into a condition to yieM 
the bountiful crops of which its fertilesi.ii 
was capable. This patriotic town was in 
a poor condition to properly rt-spond to 
the first calls for volunteers in thf spring 
of 1861. All who could b" spared enlisted 
and went to the front. But the situation 
of many was such that it seemed imposni- 
to go and leave their families on the ex- 
posed frontier, so poorly prepared to take 
care of themselves. Besides, in the year-t 
1862 and 1863 these settlers had their 
hands full in protecting their homes and 
faruilirs from the savage foes that ravaged 
and desolated the surrounding country. 
But, after th*- dnnger from the Indian 
depre 'ations were over, and before the 
close of the war, this town nobly furnished 
her qtiota of vwlunteers. 

In July of 1862, T. H. Barrett, of St. 
Cloud, came to Paynesville and called a 
mass meeting at the school house, made a 
patriotic speech an<t was followed by N 
Darnell. As a result of ihe meeting M. 
P Beckley. P Luce and W. N. Darnell 
enlisted in Captain Asa Libby's compa- 
ny, 7th regiment, and Alfred Harris and 
G. W. Reed enlisted in T. H. Barrett's 
company, 9lh regiment. Another mass 
meeting was called in March, 1865, to see 
if enough would enlist to clear the town 
from the impendiuLf draft. As a result of 
this meeting John Phipps, William Blake- 
ly, Daniel Chisholm, John J. Brown, 



Evan Thomas, W. I'. Bennett and H. 
Jones enlisted in the Ist regiment. 

The following is taken from the St. 
Cloud Democrat of March 2d, 1865: 

'Pliuky Town: The town of Paynes- 
ville wiili twenty-sfven men enrolled has 
a quota of nine. One of this number en- 
listed some time ago, and yest^-rday eight 
of th»- best ciiiz^rs of the to*ii, uni'er the 
leadership of Postmaster Phipps, arrived 
in this city on their way to St. Paul to 
clear Paynesville of the draft by going in 
themoelves " 

The three following brave sons of 
Paynesville were offered up as a sacrifice 
to the cause of human freedom whiie in 
the army: 

Williatii Beckley died at St. Peter, this 
state, in December, 1862, of me^wles, 

William Blakely died in hospital at 
Citv Point, May 6th, 1865 

Geo. W. Reed died at St. Louis, Mo., 
Oct. 20, 1864 

The following are among those that en- 
listed from the town of Paynesville at:d 
served in the army during the Rebellion: 

In the First Minnesota Regiment were: 
John Phipps, William Blakely, Daniel 
Chisholm, John J. Brown, Evan Thomas, 
W. P. Bennett and H. Jones. Third Min- 
nesota Regiment, S. P. Roach. Fourth 
Minnesota Regiment, Andrew Eichemeir 
aad William Helmer. Seventh Minneso- 
ta Regiment, Michael P. Beckley, W. N. 
Darnell and Harrison P. Luce. Eighth 
Minuesota Regiment, Joseph J. Reed. 
Ninth Minnesota Regiment, Alfred Har- 
ris, Geo. W. Reed. First Regiment Heavy 
Artillery, John Blakely. Hatch's Battal- 
ion, Smith Flanders. Mounted Rangers, 
Robert and John Blakely, John J. Briwn, 
Anton Warlenburg, August Schultz and 
Wm. Schroeder. Second Cavalry, Stephen 
F. Brown and Smith Flanders. First 
Regiment of Mounted Volunteers, Wm. 
Beckley. 

The inhabitants of Paynesville were 
very busy securing their crops of grain 
and hay in August, 1862. About the 20th 
of August, the first news of the Sioux out- 



!(> 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILI.E. 



break reached the village. The day previ- 
ous, a wedding had been in progreRS at the 
upper end of Norway lake, and the cere- 
mony was just about to be performed when 
a little boy came rushing into their midst 
with the startling intelligence that the In- 
dians had kill> d his brother and sister. 
All was confusion in the little household 
and the party broke up, and the guests at 
the wedding immediately started for their 
homes. Tliey soon met a party of Indians 
who acted very kindly, shaking hands all 
around, and appearing pleased to meet 
them. But, watching their opportunity, 
they began shooting the whites, killing 
all but Mrs. Lunegburg, who at the first 
hostile movement of the Indians, sprang 
into a small stream surrounded by tall 
reeds and sank into the water up to her 
mouth. She there witnessed the savages 
torture her companions in the most fiend 
ish and horrible manner that their in- 
generity could invent. They cut ofl' a 
little baby's fingers one by one and then 
its ears and nose, finding pleasure in see- 
ing the child squirm and scream. They 
protracted the torture of their victims as 
long as possible and until death ended 
their suflerings After ail were dead and 
it had grown dark, Mrs. Lunegburg startt'd 
for assistance, reaching the house of Ole 
GergoDson wbiut three o'clock in the 
morning and aroused them from their 
slumber. She had traveled about eight 
miles straight north over a very rough 
country. Early the next morning they 
all came to Paynesville and reported the 
massacre. This was the first news received 
at Paynesville of the outbreak. Prepara- 
tions for the defence of the settlers were 
immediately begun. A party consisting 
of John and Hugh Biakely, Moses Pelkey, 
Stephen Harris, Smith Flandet, Hugh 
Jones, John Johnson and others at once 
started for the scene of the masnacre. Ar- 
riving there about five o'clock p. m., they 
found thirteen dead bodies close together 
and two others near by. They buried them 
all in one grave. They then went into 
camp. The next mornii.g they discovered 



that a party of Indians had camped on 
the other side of a ridge that night, 
neither jiarty aware of the presence of the 
other. They then started for the settle- 
ment at the east end of the lake. They 
soon heard firing, and hastening forwaid 
found the Indians attacking this seiile- 
ment. They rushed to the assistance of 
the whites, causintr the s»v<ges to beat a 
hasty retreat to »he t'mber three miles 
away. The settlers then hastily loaded 
up their goods and families into wajfons 
and collected such stock as they could and 
started for Paynesville, where they ar- 
rived that night escorted by the Pnynt's- 
viile party. Soon refuttees from thesodlh 
and west began pouring into the town. 
That night a meeting was called and a 
company of home guards organized. 
Stephen Harris was chosen caj)tain, John 
Blakely first lieutenant and Hugli BhUely 
second lieutenant and Joliti J. Brown 
sergeant. There were about thirty n)en in 
the settlement II was voted to build a sod 
fort forty-one hundred feet square. That 
night guards were detailed to keep wa'ch 
and all possible precautions taken for 
safety. There was b'lt little sleep that 
night, for it was feared that their rxposed 
settlement wouh) be attacked t)efnre morn- 
ing. 

Early the next morning the men w*-nt 
to work on their sod fort. They expected 
the Indians to soon attack them and 
worked with all possible haste to get a 
place of safety for the women and cbil- 
ilren. The church and school buildings 
were hauled up to make two corners of the 
fort, while two dwellintf houses occupied 
the other corners. A wall of sods four 
feet thick was to be so built as to enclose 
these buildings with basiians at the 
corners Scouts were kept out on the 
watch to prevent a surprise, and at night 
the women and children occupied the fort 
and the men took turns guarding the out- 
side. Pickets were sent out about 80 rods 
on the different sides, to give timely warn- 
ing of the approach of any foe. 

The men inside the fort slept with their 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILE, 



n 



arms at their sides, ready at a moment's 
warning, in case of need. In two or three 
days they had the sidt-fi of the fort built 
up five feet high, with provisions and w^ter 
and preparations to sink a well for water 
if needed They felt that now they could 
stand quite a sieue. 

About this time a company of voiunteers 
from St. Cloud, un<ler Captain Ambrose 
Freeman, came up and sroured the coun- 
try to the south and west to assiot any who 
mia-ht be found in danger on the frontier, 
and to bury the dead. After two davs thev 
returned to Paynesville. They remained 
all night at that place and the next m'<rn- 
ing returned to St. Cloud, accoHipanied by 
most of the refugees who had fled from 
homes on the frontiers and als) many in- 
habitants of Paynesville. Thin so weak- 
ened the garrison at the fort that it was 
deemed unsafe and unwire to remain any 
longer, for news reached them dailj of 
terrible fighting and horrible atrocities 
committed by the Indians. The fort was 
consequently abandoned and all went to 
Hichmond or other places for safetv. For 
a short time Pavneeville was entirely 
abandoned, but after remaining away a 
week or so many returned to the village. 
But soon the news came that a large force 
of Indians were coming that way. The 
settlers bad but little ammunition, they 
were few in numbers, their fort was in- 
BufEcient, and it was deemed unsafe to stay 
80 they again left Paynesville for a safer 
place farther east Some stopped at Rich- 
mond and some at St. Cloud and other 
places. 

Several days passed and no fresh news 
of Indian depredations were heard of in 
the direction of Paynesville. The citizens 
bad left in haste and their grain was 
mostly in the shock and none threshed 
out. They were in great need of food for 
themselves and such stock as they had 
been able to secure. This was about the 
11th of Stptemper, when nine brave, 
resolute men determined to secure some 
of the grain. 

They went back to their homes with 



several teams and a threnhing naachine 
outfit. At night they slept in the school 
hoQse in the sod fort and placed their 
teams ar.d cattle in the fort. They had 
been threshing during the day and on the 
night of ihe 13ih returned to the fort, 
greatly fatigued with their day's labor. 
After securing their teams and cattle in- 
side the fort and partaking of a h'iKty sup- 
per, they lay down in the Hchool house to 
sleep, leaving their dog on the front steps 
for a sentinel. Not a sign of an Indian 
had so far been seen and nothing had been 
disturbed since th«y had left th«ir homes 
the week before. So they deemed it safe 
for all to sleep. While soundly sleeping 
thev were riadely awakened. A bright 
light was shining into the school house 
from the burning church anrt from the 
school house. Mr. John Boylan stepped 
to the door to ascertain the cause and was 
shot by an Indian inside the fort and 
severely wounded. This convinced those 
inside the school house that they were be- 
ing attacked by the Indians. Mr. Boylan 
dropped down and crawled under a wagOB 
where it was so dark that the Indians 
could not see him. Watching his oppor- 
tunity he made his way back into the 
house. From what they heard and saw 
they were convinced that the Indians did 
not know "where the whites were. They 
could see the Indians in the fort, the 
bright light revealing th«m very plainly, 
and they could have shot a number of 
them. But as they were outnumbered and 
knew that if they did shoot it would dis- 
close their whereabouts to the Indians and 
endanger their own lives, they refrained 
from shooting. Finding that the Indian 
guards on the outside had come into the 
fort to assist in securing the horses, they 
quietly scaled the walls and, keeping in 
the shadow of the building as much as 
possible, they started for the river bank, 
(Crow River,) about one hundred rods 
distant. Part of the way over which they 
had to pass was lighted up as bright as 
day from the burning church. The In- 
dians caught sight of them while in this 



78 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILLE. 



lightetl space and pourerf a volley of shot 
after theiu, lorlunately without doing any 
harm, and they succeeded in reaching the 
wooded baok of the river. Jobn and 
Robert Blakely remained with the wound- 
ed man, carrying him nearly three miles 
in the dark, and finally reached a deserted 
house. Here they found a cotton shirt 
with which they bound up the wound. 
Mr. Boylan was nearly dead from loss of 
blood, the ball passing within one-fourth 
of an inch of an artery. The few settlers 
in the eastern part of the town were 
warned of their danger and hastened to 
Richmond. A party from that place came 
out the next morning and brought the 
wounded man in and held the Indians in 
check until all the st^ttlers had reached 
Richmond. The names of the nine men 
in the fort were John, Hugh and Robert 
Blakely, O. S. Freeman, Hugh Jo'es, 
Smith Flanders, E. H. Bates, Peter 
Lagrow and John Boylan. The Indians 
succeeded in taking ofl some ten or twelve 
horses, some oxen and cows and consider- 
able other plunder. 

After the attack on the fort and the 
burning uf buildings in the fort, and near- 
ly all of the buildings in the village, the 
citizens remained away until about the 
20th of October. At this time the govern- 
ment sent Com (>any E and *H, of the 
Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Regiment, to 
Paynesville. They immediately began to 
enlarge and strengthen the fort and to 
take measures to secure the safety of the 
settlers. A large number of the settlers 
then returned to their homes, some finding 
only a heap of ruins, others finding their 
homes despoiled of everything of value. 
The troops remained until the middle of 
December, when they were sent south, and 
their places were taken by Company A, 
of the Mounted Rangers. This company 
remained during the winter. 

While these conflicts with the Indians 
were taking place in the village of Paynes- 
ville, a little settlement of Germans on 
the eastern side of the town were al- 
so having their troubles. At the first 



alarm about ten families gathered at the 
house of Gottlol) Knebel, and all united 
in building a sod breast work around the 
house. They remained there two weeks, 
the women an<l children remaining in the 
hou^e thus fortified, and the men to the 
number of fifteen would go out together to 
secure their crops, first on one farm and 
then >n another, always keeping someone 
on guard and keeping near their guns. 
After about two weeks, concluding that 
danger was over, most of them returned to 
their own homes. That very night the 
Indianw attacked and burned the fort at 
Prtynesville, and early in the morning the 
settlers were warned of their danger and 
all hastened to Richmond. During their 
stay in their little fort, guards bad been 
ke[)t out and relieved every two hours, and 
every preeHUtion taken to guard against a 
surprise. On the second nii^ht after ihey 
arrived in Richmond the house they were 
in was fired upon by Indians The next 
morning a party persued these Dulians 
for a long distance, the Indians burning 
houses, barns and hay stacks as they went 
along. 

In the fall of 1862 Waite and McClure 
opened a sm^ill store. 

In the spring of 1863 most of the in- 
habitants ot Pavnesville returned to their 
homes, l>ut on the big prairies lothe8<iutli 
and west, few dared to return to the homes 
from which they had been driven the fall 
before. As early as May rumors of Indian 
depredations reached the village. May 2d 
three soldiers of the 8tli regiment were 
shot by the Indians near Poninie DeTerre. 
In June Cuptain ^^ady and three men of 
Company A followed the trail of Indians 
near Kandiyohi Lake, where they over- 
took and opened Sre upon them. The In- 
dians n turned the fire and Captain Cady 
was shot through the heart, and the In- 
dians escaped. A detachment of Company 
E followed a trail of Indians in Wright 
county and exchanged shots with them, 
but they also escaped. A sad event, which 
cast a deep gloom over the community of 
Paynesville, occurred on the 11th of 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILE. 



79 



September. On the morning of that day 
Captain Rutherford, Seargrent Edwardi 
and another man of Company A, left 
PayneBville for MaHnannh, taking the 
place for tht» day of the rejjnlar patrol of 
Company E on that road. When only a 
short distance out, they were fir«d upon 
by Indian'^ in ambush, who were evidently 
waitine for the patrol. Seargenl Edwards 
was shot and fell from his horse. Captain 
Ratherford received a bullet through hiB 
clothes and returned to Paynefville. All 
of Company E who had horses iinmediate- 
Ir started in pursuit. They found Seargent 
Edwards scalped and dead. They followed 
the trail of the Indians until it was lost 
near Green Lnke. The soldiers remained 
at Paynesville until May 24, 1864. 

In 1865 Josiah Waite opened a store. 
He sold out his store in 1867 to Darby & 
Moore. 

The first mill was a steHtn »iw mil] built 
on Lake Koronis by Egl'ert Ostrander Mnd 
Lyman Chandler, in 1868 and the next 
year they huilt a flouring mill nn the north 
side of Crow River, in the vill<«ge. This 
mill wa-* afterwards ujov«d to the south 
side. 

AmoBg the arrivals in 1866 were James 
C. Haines, who was a native of Canada. 
He held the oflSce of justice of the peHce 
for a number of years, as well as other 
town and schord offices nrid was Appointed 
postmaster. Egbert 08lran<ler aWo ar- 
rived this year from New York. He kept 
a hotel for many years in Paynesvil'e. 

PAYNESVILLE SCHOOLS. 

The Baitenger cchool district, No. 43, 
was organized in 1868 and the first school 
meeting was helil in March of that year. 
Its first wfficers were elected as follow-: 
John Schoenb b'-n, director; Andrew Eck- 
mire, clerk; John Baitenger, tieasurer. 
Emma Elliot was tti«^ first teacher after 
the organization and she wns followed by 
W. P. Bennett. Their present school 
hoii-e WH« built in 1868 Mary Blakely 
taught school in John Baitengrr's house 
in 1867. 



SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 52. 

The first officers of this district were 
Dwight Twichell, director; Hiigh Blake- 
ly, clerk; Jacob Staples, treasurer. The 
first teacher was Mrs. Alsina Blakely, who 
taught 3 months in 1867. Mrs. J. W. 
Sivers taught three months in 1868. The 
schools were taught in a grainery until 
1872, when the present house was built. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 162. 

School district No. 162 was organized in 
1892. Its first oflBcers were Henry Block, 
director; Homer Beckley, treasurer; 
Charles HudsoB, Clerk. Their house was 
built that year. Ida A. Brown was the 
first teacher. She was succeeded by Dallie 
Young. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 27. 

From the best accounts obtainable the 
first school organized in the town of 
Paynesville was situated in the village. A 
frame school house was built in the spring 
of 1862 and Miss F. Reed taught a six 
weeks term that summer. This house was 
one of four afterwards enclosed in the sod 
fort and was burned by the Indians in 
September of that year. In the fall of 
1863 the house was rebuilt with logs and 
Robt. Hoover taught the school that 
winter. Mrs W. P. Bennett, S. P. Roach 
and Mrs Daniel Chisholm are authorities 
for these statements. A log school house 
had been commenced in the spring of 
1859, but the terrible storm of May 3lBt 
blew it down before it was finished. 

PAYNESVILLE CHURCHES. 

The Congregational church was organ- 
ized in July 27th, 1866. Its meetings 
were held in a small chapel until 1872, 
when their present house of worship was 
built. Their first officers elected in 1866 
were: John Lester, deacon; D. S. 
Twichell, clerk. The first trustees were 
R. P. Gilbert, James Lester, H. P. Luce, 
John Lester and D. S. Twichell. S. B. 
Trembly was their first minister. He be- 
gan preaching August 3d, 1767. Their 
present church was built in 1872. Prior 
to that they held their meetings in a 
small chapel. 



8o 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILLE. 



MKTHOniST EPISCOPAL CHURCU. 

The MelhoHist Episcopal church was 
organized in 1859 with a membership of 
thirteen. Their tirci minister, Rev. W. 
N. Darnell, began preaching in 1859. and 
remained until 1862, when he enlisted in 
the army. Up to that time their meet- 
ings ha>l bten held in private houses. In 
the spring of 1862 a small house of wor- 
ship was erected, but in September it was 
burned by the Indians in their attack on 
the lort. 

George W. Bennett preached occasion- 
ally in 1862. But on account of the out- 
break there was no record kept, and there 
seems to be no written record of this church 
prior to 1864 that can be found only in the 
memorv of its early members. 

EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION. 

Zion's church ot the Evangelical Asso- 
ciation sitaiiteii on the east line of the 
town was organized August 15lh, 1864, 
willi a inembership of about fifteen, but 
now in 1895 it has eiKhtyeight. Its first 
officers, Christ. Rien, -en.; Fred Schroeder, 
and John fcjchoenleben, Sen. Their first 
minister was C. Lahr, followed C. Brill 
and F. Eoade. The Evangelical Assucia- 
lion silUHieil in thf village of Paynesville 
was orenniz»'d in 1893, and their church 
building wan . reeled the same year. Its 
trustees are John Baitenger, C. A. Zabel, 
F. Frank. 

EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

New Pay iieHville Parish of St. Stephen, 
■o-called because the first service was held 
on St. Sleplien's day. 1888, was organiz«d 
in July, 1888. Its officers are: A.Haines, 
Senior VVardeu; A. T. Watson, J. W. 
Vestrymen: Messrs. W. Haines, J. (\ 
Harries, J. ti. Boy Ian, Geo. R. Stephens, 
Dr Griffii, S. R. Cop«land, J. ^"air and 
H. Baugh. W HairieB, treasurer; G. R. 
Stephens, clerk. Rev. Mr. Booth Will- 
mar was the clergyman in charge of the 
parish and has remained so even since 
holding services once in three months 
Mr. C. B. Fosbrook was lay reader in 
charge the first 2 years and Mr. A. Haines 
siace. 



The church was b lilt in '88-'89 at a cost 
of $3000 of which ther^ still remains a 
debt of Hboui 5*600. There were five com- 
municanls when organiz-H. A. Haines, 
Mrs. Baugh, Mrs C. J. LaGrave, Mrs. A. 
T. Watson, and A. T. W^t-on. We have 
now between 40 and 50 nommnniraxts. 

ORGANIZATION Or THE TOWN. 

In 1868 the town of Verndal** had been 
organizt-d, including what are now known 
as the towns of Lake Ht- nry. Crow River, 
Crow Lake, North Fork, Lake G^oree, 
Paynesvillt^ and half of St. Martin. 
Paynesville was ori?aniz-*d as a sepsrate 
town in 1867. The following is taken from 
the town records of its first meetinr: 
"First town meetiner was held September 
231, 1867, at the hons'^ of John Phipps. 
E H. Bates was cliDnen modnr-.tor; I. L. 
Wait, H. H. Ramlolf and John BHiteriiifr, 
judj^esiJ B. Pease, clerk. T'le nffict^rs 
for the remaindfT of this year were chosen 
by ballot. L En'o', chairniH''; Ji>l n 
Baitentjt-r, R P. (-iilb^-rt, siipervi-ori- ; ,1. 
B. Peace an<1 H. H Raodolf, jiisiif e-, Al- 
fred Harris, constahlt- ;. J. B. Peas-, town 
clerk; R. P. Gilbt-rt, treasurer; A. Chis- 
holm, overseer of highways dirtirict No 1; 
Alfred HHrris, oversft-r of tiitrliways di-- 
trict No. 2; A. VVartonburir, overseer of 
highways district No. 3 No money w:<9 
voted rttised. 29 votes cast. I hereby 
certify the above niinnteH to be correct. 
"J B Phase, Clerk " 

For ten long years the early setiler" of 
this exposed frontier town ha) bravely 
and uticoinplHiiiint'ly battled with ihe 
hardships and privations of pioneer life. 
Siill they were always cheerful and ni«ir)- 
tained a hitih social and literary staruJin!.'. 
Their liierxrv "ocietie- I'M frequent meet- 
ings wliicli w.-re we" uir nded and greatly 
enjoyed. Their socinl mee'liisis were fre- 
(juent and pleasant. 

Ii then took four tiays to make the trip 
to St. (Moud with their ox teams Now 
the railroad train covers ihe distance in 
»1) ut an hour. 

Ttie town was now (in 1867) faslseilling 
up. The village was growing and bui-iness 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILE. 



8l 



waB reviving. Comfortable homes were 
being built and prosperity and plenty 
reigned. The old settlers looked back up- 
on their pioneer life as a sort of dream. 
With a kind adieu, the writer leaTcetbem 
with their well earned hapnineps, hoping 
that some more capable writer will carry 
forward the history of this prosperous and 
enterprising town. Many thanks to thoee 
who have assisted in this work. 

Last week the history of Paynesville, 
which has been running in the Times, was 
concluded. Below will be found a number 
of biographical sketches of early settlers 
of that town: 

JAMES H BOYLAN. 

J. H. Boylan was one of the first settlers 
of Paynesville. He was born in Burns, 
New York, in 1834, and raised a farmer. 
He came to Minnesota in the spring of 
1856. In October of that year he arrived 
in Paynesville and took a claim and began 
its improvement. In 1859 Mr. Boylan 
married Miss Canrissia Richardson, at 
Cold Spring. In 1861 they went to New 
York and remained there until 1867 and 
then they returned to the farm which Mr. 
Boylan has operated ever since. For the 
last eleven years he has resided in the 
village of Paynesville. He has been a 
member of the town board since 1869, and 
a member of the school board in district 
No. 43 for twenty-one years and was post- 
master under Buchanan and Cleveland 6 
years and is now president of the Boylan 
and Brackett bank of New Paynesville. 

W. p. BENNETT. 

W. p. Bennett was born in Burns, New 
York, May 7th, 1825, and grew up a farm- 
er. Ho graduated at a high school in 
Livingston county, N. Y. Mr. Bennett 
and Miss Mary J. Trembly were married 
in 1853, and in the fall of 1856 they came 
o Anoka, and in July of 1857 they came 
to Paynesville and located a claim and 
began improving it. They lived in the 
village until the fall of 1860 when they 
move I on to their claim. He was justice 
of the peace for many years and has held 
other town offices. He was assessor when 



several townships were joined in one town 
called Verdale. 

JOHN BAITENOER. 

John Baitenger has been so intimately 
connected with all of the town affairs that 
the history of Paynesville would be in- 
complete without mentioning him. He 
was born in Wertenberg, Germany, in 
1833. His principal occupation in that 
country was the raising of grapes and 
making wine. In 1853 he came to New 
York and worked one year on a farm, and 
then learned the cooper's trade. The next 
year Mr. Baitenger and Miss Fredricka 
Yeager were married. In 18o6 they came 
St. Cloud and built a hou'=e and remained 
one year when they settled in Eden Lake 
on section six, near the line of Paynes- 
ville, and in 1866 moved over into that 
town and took. a claim of 160 acres. Mr. 
Baitenger was chairman of the super- 
visors of the town of Verdale, and has 
been a member of the town board of 
Paynesville for many years. He was 
postmaster from 1870 to 1887 of the post- 
oflBce of Zion. He was intimately identi- 
fied with the Evangelical Association, and 
was their first >'unday school superintend- 
ent. His beautiful farm with its fine 
buildings shows careful and intelligent 
management. He has lived in the village 
of Paynesville for a number of years. 

HUGH BLAKELY. 

Hugh Blakely was born in Ontario, 
Canada, in 1838. He came to Hastings, 
Minnesota, in 1856, where he remained 
two years, then coming to Paynesville and 
taking a claim. Up to this time his prin- 
cipal occupation had been carpentering. 
He improved his farm and erected build- 
ings on it and remained on it until 1873, 
when he bought his present farm of two 
hundred and lorty acres and moved upon 
it and improved it and has remained upon 
and operated it ever since. Mr. Blakely 
has been a prominent person in town and 
county affairs, having held the office of 
justice of the peace seventeen years, and 
county commissioner of Monongalie coun- 



82 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILLE. 



ty three years, aa well as being on the 
echool board for many years. 

JOUN BLAKELY. 

John Blakely was born in the north of 
Ireland in 1821. He accompanied his 
family to upper Canada in 1825, where 
he was engaged in farming, siirveyiBg and 
lumbering until 1851, when he came to 
Minnesota and stopped at Hantingn, until 
1852. His wife was the first white woman 
that crossed the Mississippi from Point 
Douglas to Hastings. In 1858 he moved 
to Roseyille, Kandiyohi county, and lo- 
cated on land half a mile west of his pres- 
ent farm, on which he moved in 1862. 
Mr. Blakely married Miss Jane Mo >ney 
in 1842. She died in 1889. He has been 
a member of the school board twelve years. 

DANIEL CHISIIOLM. 

Daniel Chisholm.a native of Nova Scotia, 
was born in 1833. He emigrated with his 
family to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, in 
1847, where he remained until 1859, when 
he came to Paynesvillw and bought a farm 
and operated and improved it, but lived 
in the village. In 1862 they were driven 
away by the Indians, and during these 
Btirring times he moved to St. Cloud and 
remained about a year, after which he re- 
turned to his farm. Mr. Chisholm and 
Miss Marietta Reed were married in 1855. 
He enlisted in the Ist Minnesota volunteer 
infantry in 1865 and served until the close 
of the war. He has been a farmer all his 
life. He has been a member of the town 
and school boards. 

s. p. ROACn. 
8. P. Roach was born in England April 
14th, 1836. He emigrated with his family 
to the territory of Wisconsin in 1844, and 
remained there until 1857, when he came 
to Minnesota and settled in Houston coun- 
ty. He was brought up on a farm. In 
1860 he came to Paynesville and took a 
claim and began to build a house and im- 
prove his farm. In 1863 Mr. Roach and 
Miss Susan Hoover were married. He 
has operated this claim and other lands 
that be has bought, ever since. He has 
been chairman of the Board of Supervisors 



for some time and a member of the school 
board for twenty-two years. He entered 
the army in 1864, and served about one 
year. He has taken great interest in town 
and state aflairs as well as in school mat- 
ters. 

JOHN PHIPPS. 
Among the prominent early settlers of 
Piiynesville we find John Phipp8,who was 
born in Lawrei c • county, Indiana, in 
1825 an 1 was rHiHe<l <>n a farm. In 1853 
he went to Illinois and b >ught some wild 
lainl and improved it. In 1859 he came 
to Minnesota and located »t Silver Creek, 
and remained there one year. He then 
came to Paynesville in February, 1860, 
and bought the farm that he still owns 
■ind operates. For the lust twenty years 
Mr. Phipps has been in connection with 
his son, engaged in the general merchan- 
dise and furniture bus'ness. In March, 
1865, he eLlisted in Company A, let Min- 
nesota Regiment, and served until the 
close of the war. He wis aHseescr oJ the 
town of Verndale and also a member of 
the town board of supervisors. 

ALFRED HARRIS. 

Alfred Harris was born in New York in 
1840. In 186U he accompanied his par- 
ents to Green Lake, Kandiyohi county. 
In 1861 he came to Paynesville and took 
a claim and improved and operated it un- 
til 1883, when he sold his farm and moved 
to Lincoln county and bought a farm and 
operated it three years. Then he returned 
and located in the village of Paynesville, 
where he has since resided. In August, 
1862, he enlisted in the army and served 
until the close of the war. He was elected 
constable when the town was organized in 
1S67, and has held the office twenty-four 
years. 

ALEXANDER CHISIIOLM. 

Alexander Chisholm was born in Nova 
Scotia in 1847, and when two years old ac- 
companied his parents to Wisconsin. His 
parents were farmers. In the fall of 1862 
he came to Paynesville and worked for 
the Burb^nk Stage Company for four 
years. He then bought 280 acres of land, 



HISTORY OF PAYNESVILE 



83 



on which the Great Northern station now 
8tandf>, and has operated it ever since. 
Mr. Chisholm has betm pronainent in po- 
litical matters and has taken a depp inter- 
est in town and state affairs. He repre- 
sented his district in the legislature in 
1873 and also in 1895. He has been one 
of the town board for many years. 

MICHAEL BECKLEY 

Michael Bfckly was born in Syracuse, 
N. Y., in 1831, and brought up on a farm. 
He came to Paynesville in 1862. He en- 
listed in the 7th regiment that same year 
and served thiee years, and then returned 
to his farm. In 1875 he built the lower 
flouring mill, c-illed the Crow River mill, 
and has operated it in conn^'ction with his 
farm for the last twenty years. He is now 
in Kansas. 

W. H. BLASDELL. 

W. H. Blasdell was born in lower Canada 
in 1816 and lived on a farm. At the age 
of seventeen he accompanied bis parer<ts 
to Ohio. In 1842 he moved to Frankfort, 
Illinois, where he resided lor twenty 
years, with the exception of four years, 
when he was sheriff of Will county and 
lived at Joliet. While in Illinois he was 
engaged in farming, lumbering and hotel 
business. In 1863 he came to Paynesvillc 
and took a claim and began farming and 
stock raising, as well as keeping a hotel. 
He was justice of the peace for many 
years and a member of tiie school board 
all the while that he lived there. Mr. 
Blasdell died April 24, 1887. His wife, 
who survives him, is still in good health 
and active, with a strong and vivid mem- 
ory of their early pioneer life. 

EGBERT 08TBANDER. 

Egbert O^trandcr, deceased, was a na- 
tive of the State of New York, where he 
was born in 1815. He came to Illinois in 
1837, locHting at Kankakee, and thence to 
Paynepville in 1866, where he opentd the 
Ostrander House on the 4th of Jnly, 1873. 
He married Miss Delilah J. Sargent, of 



Indiana, in 1839. Their children are 
Henry M., Marietta, John Q , James E., 
Enoch M., R jal C, Hannah A., Eliza- 
beth J. and William H. Mr. Ostrander 
died in September, 1878. 

JOHN W. DARBY. 

One of the prominent persons of Paynes- 
ville is John W. Darby, who w«s born in 
Cambridge, Washintrton county. New 
York, August 19, 18.35. He reninined 
there, attendii^g school and working as a 
machinist, until 1853. He Horked at his 
trade as a nmrliinift in several states or 
attended school until 1863, when he en- 
listed and served until the cl<is>^ of the 
war. He whs in General J. J. Barileti's 
division, to which General Lee stacked 
arms at his surrender. After his return 
home his health was such that he could 
not work at his trade. He started .vest and 
Plopped at Chicago until the spring of 
1867, when he came to Paynesville, and in 
company with J. Moore, bought out J. L. 
Waite's store, and wac appointed poet- 
master, retaining this cfBce twenty-one 
years. He has hehl the oflir»8 of justice 
of the peace, supervisor nnd town clerk. 
He married Miss Emma Elliott, of 
Canton, Pennsylvania, J»n. 15, 1870. 
They have one child, Bennett L. 

A. K. BUGBIE 

One of the later arrivals in the town 
was A. E Bugbie, who wss born in 
Holyoke, Mass., in 1849. When he was 
quite young he move<l ^^ith his lnniily to 
Belchertown, where he remained until 
fourteen years old. They then moved to 
Spring6eld, Mhss. In 1868 he arrived in 
Paynesville. He had been a farmer. He 
taught school five years, then bought a 
farm and has operated it ever since. He 
has held some responsible offices nearly 
ever since his arrival in the town. He 
has served ss town clerk twenty-two year* ; 
was assessor three years and three years a 
member of the School board. 



